live from washington, this is bbc news. the us's top diplomat, antony blinken is back in the middle east — urging israeli leaders to work for a ceasefire. meanwhile israel continues to hit lebanon — at least 18 people are killed and dozens injured in a strike near the country's largest hospital. and the former boss of the fashion giant abercrombie & fitch, and his british partner, are arrested on sex trafficking charges. we start in the middle east. us secretary of state antony blinken met with israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu for 2.5 hours in tel aviv on tuesday. it's his eleventh trip to the region since the october 7 attack last year. secretary blinken told israeli officials that the recent death of hamas

leader yahya sinwar presented a critical moment to end the war. i believe very much that the death of sinwar creates an important opportunity to bring the hostages home and bring the water when and and ensure security. that is what our conversations today focused on israeli colleagues including arrangements for the period following the end of the conflict. our correspondent wyre davies is injerusalem with more details on blinken�*s visit. this is anthony blank and's 11th this is anthony blank and's iith visit to israel but this time expectations for any breakthrough even before meeting the israeli prime minister were really quite low. the two men, benjamin netanyahu and anti— blink and, met for

2.5 hours but to emphasise the low hopes of any progress their version of events discussed at the meeting are very different. first of all we got from the american side the view that israel should capitalise on the successful action to bring the hamas leader sinwar to justice and secure hostages release and end the conflict. mr lincoln's spokesman also spoke about the importance of getting more aid into gaza was some 400,000 people in the north in particular are suffering because of the humanitarian crisis. we know that antony blinken is very concerned at israel's enhance military activity in the north that it is having a detrimental humanitarian impact. and then we go to the israeli version of how the meeting went. netanyahu's spokesman spoke about the iranians threat to israel, the very real threat that israel is concerned about. iranians missiles coming down over israel a couple of weeks

ago and how that might be responded to by the israelis. and the israelis thanked the americans for their support in providing enhanced missile defence coverage. israelis also spoke about a governing framework for gaza the day after the war ends, of course, israel is insistent that neither the palestinian authority nor hamas should be allowed to run things in gaza after the end of the war. but from the israeli side there was no talk of a ceasefire nor talk of a deal to release the remaining hostages and certainly no talk about the pressure from the americans and the others to improve and enhance the amount of aid getting into gaza because of this humanitarian situation. perhaps not much coming from these talks. blinken and staying overnight in antony israel before moving on to the wider region tomorrow. antony blinken�*s visit comes as israeli forces are now battling multiple iranian—backed groups in the region, including an explanding conflict with hezbollah in lebanon.

ahead of the us secretary of state's meeting with israel's president in tel aviv, air raid sirens rang out and rockets were intercepted overhead. hezbollah said it targeted a military base. the israeli military says hezbollah�*s hashem safieddine, the apparent heir to former chief hassan nasrallah, was killed in an airstrike earlier this month. all 3 in beirut, health officials say 18 people were killed by an israeli airstrike near a large government hospital in the city's south. israel says it was targeting a hezbollah position. and the israeli military says concealed under another beirut hospital that it says holds hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cash. israel said it was monitoring the compound but would not strike the hospital itself. the hospital's staff dispute the claims — but the israeli military says it stands behind its assessment. here's our chief international correspondent, 0rla guerin. explosion. broad daylight in beirut.

a multistorey building brought down. as always, israel said the target was hezbollah. here, it gave a warning. and here, it didn't. a crowded neighbourhood, right across the road from lebanon's biggest public hospital, rafik al hariri. among the 18 people killed, four children. and a short distance away, the al sahel hospital has been evacuated after israel claimed it is sitting on a hezbollah goldmine. where is the bunker located? directly under al sahel hospital in the heart of beirut. there are hundreds of millions of dollars in cash and gold inside the bunker right now. we evacuated instantly.

we could not risk anyone. we were invited in today by the general manager to check the hospital for ourselves. what was your feeling last night when the israelis suddenly announced you had a bunker under the hospital with millions of dollars in gold? it was a shock, really, it was a shock. this hospital was founded 40 years ago on an old house, built on it. so it is impossible, it is impossible to have any tunnel or any infrastructure underneath the hospital. then, down to the two levels below ground. nowhere was off limits. well, we are at the morgue now. all of the drawers have been opened to show us there is nothing concealed here. this is level —2, and we have been told by the hospital staff that there is nothing beneath this, no basement, no bunker, no cash, no gold.

we continued the search at this building across the road, identified by israel. and here, too, we got access below ground. there is a doorway here, an entrance to a lift shaft, and we can't open that. it seems like the lift isn't working. now, according to the israeli claim, beneath this building, there is an entrance to the bunker. if there is, we didn't find it. doctors here insist there is nothing to find. 0rla guerin, bbc news, beirut. discuss the development lives by the former ambassadorjames jeffrey, former ambassador to iraq and turkiye. and now chair

of a programme at the wilson centre. thank you forjoining us. we heard secretary blink and talk about what he's called and talk about what he's called an important opportunity at this moment for hostage release the ceasefire deal. is it an important opportunity as you see it that can be done now? yes, it is. it is not important because only blink and senso. almost the first thing he did after october seven was sent out a tweet that spoke about working on a ceasefire. this is notjust working on a ceasefire. this is not just tony blink and's gameplan, it has been out gameplan, it has been out gameplan with iran surrogates for the past 20 years and it has led to october seven and this horror show we're at in the middle east because that is the middle east because that is the usual position of the americans. the israeli position since october seven is they went along with us most of the time and i was on the ground at times up until one year ago but since then the israelis are all about we have almost forgotten about we have almost forgotten about is winning a war against

an enemy. the difference between blink and six months ago and blink and now is that the israelis are a point where they have achieved something like as much victory as you can do over the force in gaza and they are moving towards that with his beloved. so lincoln's idea that we should move beyond the fighting and implement the three stage plan that the israelis proposed in may and president biden announced on may is a good idea and the two spoke seriously about the day after plans on how to rebuild the place and keep it secure. i think this is more than just another trip. think this is more than just anothertrip. i think this is more than just another trip. i think this has some real legs to it. but another trip. i think this has some real legs to it.- some real legs to it. but we know now — some real legs to it. but we know now that _ some real legs to it. but we know now that sinwar - some real legs to it. but we know now that sinwar has . some real legs to it. but we i know now that sinwar has been killed, the leader of hamas and there is now a council of individuals running hamas. how challenging is it to hold talks without that single leader in place?

without that single leader in lace? ~ ., place? we can debate for ever whether the _ place? we can debate for ever whether the hamas _ place? we can debate for ever whether the hamas people - place? we can debate for ever whether the hamas people in l place? we can debate for ever i whether the hamas people in the ohio, qatarare whether the hamas people in the ohio, qatar are now the people who have replaced him, who people calling the shots. at the end of the day an organisation like hezbollah does not give up nor agree to a ceasefire until it leaves it has been thoroughly defeated. we do not know when that point will come but the israeli position and it is a very strong position and strongly supported throughout israeli society is that until they agree to a ceasefire and the return of hostages a new management of gaza buys somebody other than hamas, we will keep fighting and not go home. that is what lincoln is trying to work through. but the israelis will not change that position, norshould israelis will not change that position, nor should they did it the other issue is that of the dire humanitarian situation in gaza that continues all the while and we saw that ultimatum

coming from the us to israel that if it does not improve the humanitarian situation there would be consequences to that. is that something that lincoln will have been impressing on netanyahu at their meeting? it is notjust that lincoln netanyahu at their meeting? it is not just that lincoln and is notjust that lincoln and she did after the meeting, he said this is a big issue for the us and it should be of big issue. it should be the weakest part of the entire israeli position in the last here. they do seem to have the message, they are claiming something like 230 trucks were sent in which is way beyond what they have been doing recently and on that issue which does not get to the key war and peace issues in gaza or in lebanon, we have more influence on the israelis but if we tell the israelis that it but if we tell the israelis thatitis but if we tell the israelis that it is time to pack up and go home, i was on a call with them in 2006 when we told them that in lebanon and they had to go home, this time they do not listen to us until they are sure that october seven will never happen again. right now we are not at that point either

with hamas or with his beloved. can they ever reach that point, do you think?— do you think? that is a very aood do you think? that is a very good question. _ do you think? that is a very good question. i _ do you think? that is a very good question. i have - do you think? that is a very good question. i have a - do you think? that is a very l good question. i have a little experience from vietnam where we had wiped out the vietcong but also in the fight against islamic state. they are still there in parts of syria, particularly, and bits of them in iraq that they are nothing like the force that control 8 million people and swept one third of syria and iraq in 2013- 2014. that is the difference. is a major military force they were defeated. we did not get rid of them. that is the best that israel can do. i think they are getting close to it but, again, it is their decision and they are betting the existence of their country on whether they call this shot right. on whether they call this shot ri . ht. ., ~ on whether they call this shot riuht. ., ~' ,, on whether they call this shot ri. ht, ., ~' y., ., on whether they call this shot riuht. . ~ ., ., , right. thank you for “oining us on bbc news. _

it's day two of the brics summit of emerging economies in russia — and more than 20 heads of state are gathering in the city of kazan. russian president vladimir putin met with indian prime minister narendra modi earlier on tuesday. mr modi has called for a peaceful resolution in the war between russia and ukraine. president putin also met with chinese president xijinping, who reaffirmed his country's �*friendship' with russia. the un has confirmed that secretary general antonio guterres will attend the summit. that's prompted fierce criticism from kyiv. for more on the gathering, our russia editor steve rosenberg sent this update. for the world leaders arriving in russia today, there was pomp... there was pastry... and then, putin. for russia's president, there was a golden opportunity to show that attempts by the west to isolate him have failed. china's xijinping is one of more than 20 heads of state

attending the brics summit. bell tolls. it may not be the greatest show on earth, but to mark the summit, they have lit up the ancient kazan kremlin. the brics club of emerging economies represents nearly half the world's population, and more than a quarter of the global economy. russia hopes that brics will reshape the global order, and relieve the pressure of western sanctions. so russia's main interest is in breaking the dominance of the us dollar, the power of the us treasury. they want the brics countries to create an alternative trade mechanism, and especially an alternative cross—border settlement system that does not involve the dollar or the euro. russia is pleased to have partners, but the brics nations don't agree on everything. russia often talks about wanting to reshape the global order, and it sees brics, i think, as a means to that end.

but the members of brics are not like—minded souls. there are differences of opinion and disagreements, for example between india and china. up until now, forging a common approach has proved difficult. also expected at the summit is the un secretary general. it is two and half years since antonio guterres was last in russia and received a cool reception. his decision to come now has sparked anger in kyiv, which claimed it damaged the un's reputation. but for vladimir putin, the more world leaders who come here, the better. it is better to play the statesman than be viewed a pariah. steve rosenberg, bbc news, kazan. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. another wave of prisoners have been released early from jail

to try to ease overcrowding in england and wales. 1,100 more inmates have been allowed out — the second set of emergency releases since september. this time it includes those serving sentences of five years 01’ more. but offenders convicted of serious violence, sex crimes or terrorism are again excluded. a fatal accident inquiry has recommended that the system allowing over 70s to declare if they are fit and able to continue driving should be overhauled. it follows the death of three—year—old xander irvine in edinburgh. he was hit by a car driven by a 91—year—old who had undiagnosed dementia. there is currently no legal age to stop driving in the uk. government borrowing rose last month to 16.6 billion pounds, in part because of increased wages and interest payments on public debt. it comes as the chancellor rachel reeves prepares for the budget next week. meanwhile the international monetary fund says the uk economy is set to �*accelerate', raising its growth forecast to 1.1%, up from 0.7% three months ago.

you're live with bbc news. turn to the us election to let's turn to the us election — it's been a busy day of campaigning with a strong focus on those seven battleground sates that could decide the next president. in the past hour, we've seen four different rallies, across four of those seven states. this is live in detroit, where barack obama is due to speak in the next hour. the former us president has been back on the campaign trail today looking to secure those essential votes. earlier, he appeared with vice presidential candidate tim walz in wisconsin — where early voting has now opened. this is live in wisconsin — a second event for the harris campaign is also under way. we're expecting to hear from tim walz shortly, too. and this is live in greensboro, north carolina — where donald trump has been addressing supporters. jd vance was in arizona a short time ago. last week, the harris campaign

questioned mr trump's campaign fitness after the former president pulled out of several events. earlier — he shared the same criticism, but towards harris. you know where she is today? i do not want to tell you. you don't know where she is? she is sleeping. she took a day of. she has no energy at all. her speeches last for 15 minutes. peter knows that, right? her speeches last for about 15—20 minutes and she is out of there. ~ , ., , ., there. while she was not in the campaign _ there. while she was not in the campaign trail— there. while she was not in the campaign trail holding - there. while she was not in the campaign trail holding rallies . campaign trail holding rallies on tuesday she continued to make a pitch to viewers and voters with an interview on mbc. -- nbc. here's moment from that interview with nbc�*s hallie jackson. not see sexism as a factor in this race at all? i not see sexism as a factor in

this race at all?— this race at all? i don't think of it that _ this race at all? i don't think of it that way. _ this race at all? i don't think of it that way. my _ this race at all? i