parties claim the election was "stolen". voting is under way injapan in a snap election that sees the ruling party under fire and under pressure. will voters keep faith with rising prices and stagnating wages on their minds? and king charles is expected to return to a normal schedule next year as aides describe his tour of australia and samoa as "the perfect tonic". hello, i'm catherine byaruhanga. we start this hour in the middle east where president biden has called for the end to hostilities between israel and iran after saturday's air strikes on tehran. his comments echo the united nations and countries around the world urging both

sides to de—escalate. the us said israel's strikes on iran had appeared to have only struck military sites. israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, said the targets were chosen on the basis of national interest and not according to what was dictated by washington. we don't know the specific locations of the attacks, but reports say that military installations in the capital tehran were hit as well as bases in the provinces of ilam and khuzestan in the southwest of the country. iran says the strikes only caused "limited damage". but killed four soldiers. meanwhile, israel has continued its aerial campaign in lebanon, hitting parts of southern beirut overnight. these pictures show large explosions followed by thick plumes of black smoke. the idf had issued evacuation orders for two neighbourhoods in the beirut suburb

of burj al—bara—j—neh. with the latest, here's aruna iyengar the middle east is at a tipping point after the missile strikes on iran early on saturday. israel is that it hit military targets in the capital and the provinces. here israeli soldiers are seen preparing for the attack, everyone expected to reply after iran attacked israel with around a ballistic missile on i october. benjamin netanyahu has said the targets of israeli air strikes on iran on saturday were chosen solely on saturday were chosen solely on the basis of national interest. he was responding to suggestions that israel had avoided attacking iranian gas and oilfacilities avoided attacking iranian gas and oil facilities because avoided attacking iranian gas and oilfacilities because of american pressure. now there is pressure on iran not to hit back. the us, britain and the

eu have called for deescalation. it eu have called for deescalation. ~ deescalation. it looks like the do deescalation. it looks like they do not _ deescalation. it looks like they do not hear- deescalation. it looks like they do not hear anythingj deescalation. it looks like - they do not hear anything other than military targets. i hope this is not the end.- this is not the end. military escalations _ this is not the end. military escalations are _ this is not the end. military escalations are reported i this is not the end. military escalations are reported to | escalations are reported to have been hit and bases in the provinces. iran claims that there was only limited damage but says that four soldiers were killed. this footage shows iranian air defences are firing at israeli missiles. these images show damage south of tehran. will this latest attack on iran mean a scaling back or an escalation? for now, rockets continue to be fired across the border with lebanon last night. israel claims iran for arming the militant group hezbollah in lebanon. there are more blasts over beirut. hopes for peace in the middle east seem a long way off. with me is mohamed taha

from bbc arabic. 24 2a hours later, more than 2a hours after the strikes, what do we know about the areas, the sites that are targeted? we know there _ sites that are targeted? - know there are two areas, and iran issued a statement saying that israel and the aeroplanes did not use the iranian airspace and the use the iraqi airspace and the use the iraqi airspace to strike this border state. this statement from the iranians is also playing in the same way the americans are playing, they did not announce specifically what is the damage thatis specifically what is the damage that is hit these military sites. and give the leeway to iran also not to respond a release delay the response to after the american elections and keep the war in the middle east in lebanon and gaza. you mention there _ east in lebanon and gaza. you mention there lebanon and gaza,

reports of further israeli air strikes in beirut, what do we know about where we stand with those conflicts right now? flit those conflicts right now? of course, in lebanon we can see a difference in the fighting in the war in lebanon and the fighting in gaza, as we can see some equalfighting fighting in gaza, as we can see some equal fighting between israel and hezbollah. there is a comparison between the power between those parties, israel has tanks, f—i6, f 35, between those parties, israel has tanks, f—i6, f35, and f-22. but has tanks, f—i6, f35, and f—22. but we can see that hezbollah is using the missiles to manoeuvre the air defences of israel and the use also the drones to be able to hit after that. this is the first war that. this is the first war that hezbollah would use drones in its and giving them some edge, hezbollah announcing they want to make northern israel inaudible inhabitant as well as

southern lebanon as israel is doing. the fighting on the ground, we saw massive fighting in the ground overnight, and yesterday, israel is talking about tens of indigent soldiers and also talking about some casual relatives, so we can also — there is massive resistance on the ground. this is what we can see on the lebanese front, some equality in fighting between both parties in the ground and also on the air space as well. gaza, the humanitarian situation is dominant in gaza as there are hospitals in a bad situation. they talk about the siege in the hospital and arrests between staff and the un is saying that the situation in northern gaza, the crisis situation, actually people are

living there between rubbish, dust, and people are talking that this and being alive is equal as they are really suffering and they do not have any meaning to live.— suffering and they do not have any meaning to live. and a reminder you can get much more analysis online. including this article on why has israel attacked iran and why the two nations are enemies. you can find that on the bbc news website or app. well, meanwhile in gaza, the united nations says it's had reports that nearly all of the male staff at a hospital have been detained by israeli forces. the idf left the kamal adwan hospital injabalia after storming it on friday. hundreds of patients and displaced people were sheltering there at the time. the bbc and otherforeign media organisations are prevented by israel from entering gaza

to report independently, but our special correspondent fergal keane sent this report from jerusalem. you may find some scenes in it distressing. this is the story of a doctor... allahu akbar. ..who became a grieving father. hossam abu saifa worked to save the lives of others. allahu akbar. but today, mourned his son. ibraham was killed in the hospital grounds, shot by the israeli army, his father says. since the renewed offensive onjabalia, the doctor has made repeated appeals for help. translation: we are talking about collective punishment l for the health system in the gaza strip. consequently, we urge the world to intervene and impose their humanity over the israeli army.

the army raided yesterday. dr abu safiyyah, with his staff, waiting. then the people forced out. fear holds them. they are made to line up. men separated from the women. translation: we moved patients to the reception area. _ then they said to dr hussam, the director of the hospital, to evacuate patients who could walk. among those with catheters and those with central lines, some could not walk long distances because of internal injuries. however, they insisted on them exiting on foot. the damaged hospital

compound this afternoon. the israelis say they were seeking terrorists and their infrastructure. wrecked ambulances. three soldiers were killed in jabalia yesterday. hamas published these images of a stricken israeli tank. dr abu safiyyah mourned his son. he was comforted by the small group of men still left around the hospital. leaders of georgia's opposition say they do not recognise results of saturday's parliamentary election and have accused the long—governing georgia dream party of staging what it is calling a "constitutional coup". with results from more than 70 of precincts counted, it had nearly 53% of the vote, while opposition parties have less than a0%.

the election is seen as a pivotal moment as to whether georgia remains close to russia or moves closer to the european union and western partners. let's speak now to natia seskuria, associate fellow at the royal united services institute. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. how serious are these claims of vote rigging in these elections?— claims of vote rigging in these elections? ., ~ , ., ., ., elections? thank you for having me on the _ elections? thank you for having me on the programme. - elections? thank you for having me on the programme. these l me on the programme. these claims are quite serious because we have been receiving the news about several violations from the polling stations from a ballot staffing to violence against the voters. it is yet to be investigated of course, but several opposition parties have already mentioned that they will not recognise the official result of the elections. we are still waiting

for the final result of the elections what it is likely that the ruling party, the georgian dream, is leading the preliminary results. if georgian dream, is leading the preliminary results.— preliminary results. if there is a dispute _ preliminary results. if there is a dispute over— preliminary results. if there is a dispute over these - is a dispute over these election results, still waiting for the final result to come out, we have to say that, what happens next?— out, we have to say that, what happens next? what happens next is u- to happens next? what happens next is up to the — happens next? what happens next is up to the georgian _ happens next? what happens next is up to the georgian people, - is up to the georgian people, whether they will really trust the elections or not, and as we saw that several people have been worried even before the election process has begun that there would be some manipulation taking place with regards to the results. i expect that we will have some massive protests happening in the streets in the cities to protest the election results. if the election results go the way it seems which is at the georgian dream party wins the most seats in parliament, what does this mean for the georgian

relationship with the us, the european union? we have seen them take action against the party officials when they feel they have fallen out of step with what the eu would like them to do.— with what the eu would like them to do. the deterioration of this relations _ them to do. the deterioration of this relations with - them to do. the deterioration of this relations with not - them to do. the deterioration of this relations with not just | of this relations with notjust the european union but the strategic part of the us has been one of the main concerns of every voter basically who is going to vote in this election because we have seen this relations reaching the lowest point and in that sense of course i am expecting if the elections are not claimed as to be free and fair by the georgian apartment, i expect they would be several measures taken by the ruling party officials, such as potential sanctions and the continuation of the policy we have seen in the us in terms of the position of travel bans and several punitive measures against the

democratic backsliding in georgia. flit democratic backsliding in georaia. , georgia. of course, russia remains — georgia. of course, russia remains influential- georgia. of course, russia remains influential within l remains influential within georgia. what kind of relationship do georgians want to have with russia? you do still have to maintain relations with russia. if we look at the _ relations with russia. if we look at the polls, - relations with russia. if we look at the polls, 8096, - relations with russia. if we i look at the polls, 8096, more look at the polls, 80%, more than 80% of the population was to see the countryjoining the european union, a little bit less but quite high number of influence that georgian citizens are re high number of more than 70% was the country less but quite high number of more than 70% was the country to join nato. to join nato. more than 70% was the country tojoin nato. this is more than 70% was the country tojoin nato. this is indicative of a waiter georgian indicative of a waiter georgian people see themselves in terms people see themselves in terms of their aspirations and russia of their aspirations and russia is recognised as an enemy, as is recognised as an enemy, as it occupies 20% of george's it occupies 20% of george's territory, and russia is still territory, and russia is still trying to infiltrate georgian trying to infiltrate georgian politics and georgian domestic politics and georgian domestic politics and georgian domestic politics in general. in that politics and georgian domestic politics in general. in that sense the major concern is the sense the major concern is the spreading of the russian spreading of the russian

influence that georgian citizens are really influence that georgian citizens are really worried about but, of course, everyone wants to see clever ways of dealing with the russian threat which is having close partnership with the western allies and georgia staying on the pro— european policy strike. it the pro- european policy strike. , ., ., strike. it is important of course at _ strike. it is important of course at the _ strike. it is important of course at the georgia i strike. it is important of - course at the georgia dream party denies it is a puppet of the moscow government. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. it's election day injapan — the culmination of a remarkable

it will run until 8pm and then there will be early counting putellas which way the election will go. prime minister shigeru ishiba called itjust days after he took the helm of the governing liberal democratic party. he held his final rally on saturday night, pledging to "build a newjapan" — but he's facing strong headwinds, with the ldp rocked by a series of corruption scandals — the latest of which saw mr ishiba's predecessor booted from office. his main rival, yoshihiko noda, leader of the opposition constitutional democratic party, told supporters that the ldp only worked for those who offered the party cash, ignoring the needs of japan's poorest. going into the election, the ldp and its coalition partner komeito had a healthy majority, with 279 of the a65 seats in the house of representatives. the constitutional democratic party, its closest rival,

stood at 98 seats, with the remainder scattered between a range of minor parties from across the political spectrum. many analysts are predicting large losses for the ldp, but if the ldp does not have enough members or votes to form government, which opposition policy and party would be able to do just that? our correspondent has more information about the circumstances and the significance of this election. the most significant thing is how— the most significant thing is how unusual it is. the fact that— how unusual it is. the fact that japanese politics and elections specifically are not exciting, in fact they are quite _ exciting, in fact they are quite boring and a steady, this election— 1536 00:17:48,716 --> 00:17:48