welcome to bbc hit mayotte. welcome to bbc news. russian authorities have detained a man who they say is a suspect in the death of the head of the army's chemical weapons division. general igor kirillov and his aide were killed by a remotely—controlled explosive device on a scooter parked outside his apartment. a statement from the investigative committee described the suspect as a 29—year—old uzbek national who confessed to having been recruited by the ukrainian special forces. the bbc cannot confirm these details. bbc monitoring's russia editor, vitaliy shevchenko. just bring us up—to—date. what do we categorically know about this? ~ ., ~ ., , this? well, what we know is basically _ this? well, what we know is basically these _ this? well, what we know is basically these two - this? well, what we know is i basically these two statements were issued by the russian federal security service, the

fsb, and also the official investigations committee. they say that an uzbek man aged 29 has been arrested on suspicion of killing general igor kirillov yesterday. the russian security services issued a video of a man, apparently this uzbek citizen, basically confessing to what he did. he is shown handcuffed and saying what those two security agency said. he is saying that several months ago he bought a scooter and then later he received parts for the bomb which he assembled and attached to the scooter. then he parked it outside general igor kirillov�*s house. also he apparently rented a car, also parked it

outside the house, placed a camera inside the car, which was basically live streaming from the site. now, importantly the russian security services and this man are saying that he was acting in the interests of the ukrainian security services, he had been recruited by the ukrainian security services, allegedly, and was live streaming from outside the general possible house to his ukraine handlers, apparently based in the ukrainian city of dnipro. yesterday morning when they saw general igor kirillov and his aide emerged from the house, the uzbek man pressed the button and the bomb went off, killing the general. now, he also speaks about why he did it. he said he had been promised $100,000 and a place of residence in the eu. now,

whether any of that is true is of course another matter. but it is important that the russian security services are basically saying that ukrainian agents have been able to organise an assassination of a key russian generaljust miles outside of the kremlin. it key russian generaljust miles outside of the kremlin.- outside of the kremlin. it will definitely spook _ outside of the kremlin. it will definitely spook the - outside of the kremlin. it will definitely spook the kremlin, | definitely spook the kremlin, but in terms of this man, igor kirillov, he is responsible, according to the ukrainian security services, of the use of, the mass use of banned chemical weapons, something that moscow has been denying. can you help us to explain what he allegedly was meant to have done? . ., , done? the targeting of his death is interesting. - done? the targeting of his death is interesting. just l done? the targeting of his l death is interesting. just the day before, the past monday, the ukrainian secret service had charged him in absentia, of course, with ordering the use of banned chemical weapons, banned types of tear gas,

against ukrainian forces in ukraine. the following day he was dead. general igor kirillov was dead. general igor kirillov was also sanctioned by britain for ordering the use of chemical weapons against ukraine and we also need to remember that officially russia says it has no chemical weapons, that it destroyed its vast chemical weapons stockpile backin vast chemical weapons stockpile back in 2017. and yet all these claims say that russia is using those agents in ukraine, particularly in the form of grenades containing cn and cs tear gas drop from drones into ukrainian trances and ukrainian positions. ukrainian trances and ukrainian ositions. ., , positions. for the time being, many thanrs- _ positions. for the time being, many thanks. bbc _ positions. for the time being, l many thanks. bbc monitoring's russian editor. thank you so

much. let's pick up on some of these points. guardian journalist luke harding focuses on ukraine and russia. let's start with the idea that ukraine's security services will be using someone from uzbekistan to carry out their work? ,., ., uzbekistan to carry out their work? , ., ., ., uzbekistan to carry out their work? ,., ., ., ., work? good morning. i mean, it is possible- _ work? good morning. i mean, it is possible- i — work? good morning. i mean, it is possible. i watched _ work? good morning. i mean, it is possible. i watched the - is possible. i watched the confession by the 29—year—old suspect, which has been circulating on russian social media channels. it is a very halting confession, it looks like he is reciting a script. i think we don't know whether he did it or not. certainly, my sources from kyiv say that local collaborators would be necessary to do an operation of this kind. you need someone on the ground. it is 700 miles away from ukraine and the front line, so i think there was some kind of little assistance, whether it is this suspect of someone else we don't know. but

what we can say is it was a very spectacular, very clinical operation designed to spook the kremlin leads and to push the idea that ukraine is not necessarily losing this war, that it still has capacity, imagination and can do extraordinary things. your understanding _ extraordinary things. your understanding is - extraordinary things. your understanding is that - extraordinary things. your understanding is that it i extraordinary things. your. understanding is that it was the sbu and in that case it is an extraordinary ability to do something like this right in the heart of moscow? yes, it was the sbu, _ the heart of moscow? yes, it was the sbu, i _ the heart of moscow? yes, it was the sbu, i was _ the heart of moscow? yes, it was the sbu, i was told - the heart of moscow? yes, it was the sbu, i was told thisl was the sbu, i was told this yesterday by people in kyiv and it is not being disguised. they point out this man was a war criminal and had been charged with ordering chemical weapons attacks which had hurt and injured more than 2000 ukrainian soldiers, therefore he was a legitimate target. they have been quietly celebrating how successful this operation has been. the bigger

point is one of asymmetric warfare. ukraine has got fewer troops, it has got fewer planes, fewer tanks, and it has been losing ground in the east of the country. and so what it is trying to demonstrate to its own people and to the world is that it can strike back and work effectively. these kinds of operations, i think, are very important and certainly igor kirillov was the highest ranking russian functionary to be killed in this way. 0thers be killed in this way. others have been shot and bombed but this was a pretty astonishing operation. we this was a pretty astonishing operation-— this was a pretty astonishing o eration. ~ . , operation. we are 'ust getting a line operation. we are 'ust getting a the coming _ operation. we are just getting a line coming from _ operation. we are just getting a line coming from the - operation. we are just getting i a line coming from the kremlin. they are saying that the killing of igor kirillov, they described it as ukraine using the method of terrace. i wonder if i can get your reaction to that. ~ , ., _ that. well, they would say that. well, they would say that. let's _ that. well, they would say that. let's take _ that. well, they would say that. let's take a - that. well, they would say that. let's take a step - that. well, they would say| that. let's take a step back and look at what has happened, which is nearly three years ago russia launched a full—scale

invasion of ukraine and i have spent a long time reporting from ukraine and i am going back there soon and every night russia bombards ukrainian cities with drones, ballistic missiles, kills civilians, kills children, and has eradicated entire cities by turning them into rubble. sure, they can say it is terrorism, but this is in the context of a brutal and savage war to extinguish ukraine and its population. figs extinguish ukraine and its pepuiation-_ extinguish ukraine and its --oulation. ., ~ population. as always, thank ou ve population. as always, thank you very much _ population. as always, thank you very much for _ population. as always, thank you very much for speaking l population. as always, thank| you very much for speaking to us. luke harding, a guardian journalist who focuses on ukraine and russia and going back to ukraine soon. thank you very much. the cost of buying things like petrol, food and goods in the shops in the uk has risen to its highest level since march. official figures show the rate of inflation increased to 2.6% last month. that's up from 2.3% in october. the rise will be taken into account by the bank of england as it prepares to make its next announcement on interest rates tomorrow.

let's speak to chief political correspondent henry zeffman. hejoins us live he joins us live now. the hejoins us live now. the rate of inflation, the rate at which prices of items go up is not going in the right direction? no, it is not and this government is desperate for people around the uk to feel like some of the pressures on their finances are easing. and so this is obviously concerning news for them. we have heard in the last few moments from rachel reeves, the chancellor, her response to these figures. let's hear what she had to say. inflation numbers today show inflation at 2.6%. that is comparable to other countries around the world, in the united states it's 2.7%, so slightly higher. in the euro area its 2.3%. so broadly in line with our international peers. i recognise the cost of living crisis continues to bite.

that's why in the budget we increased the national living wage, a pay rise for three million workers and it's why we froze fuel duty so that motorists are not paying more at the pumps. so we recognise the challenges that families remain under and are taking action to address that ongoing cost of living challenge. you heard rachel reeves saying these inflation figures were broadly in line with international comparisons, but she knows just as well as us that that is not how ordinary people interpret their own household finances. they care about what they can or perhaps can't afford. the bill the political challenge for this government is whether they can find a way to make people feel that this does not weigh so heavily on them in 2025. it will be interesting to see what the bank of england does with interest rates tomorrow. we heard from rachel reeves about that aspect, but she has also

been speaking about this aspect, the story that is getting a lot of traction in the uk, women against pension inequality, those women who say they were not told that their state pension would rise when those women who were born in the 1950s. bring us and our audience up to date with the story. it audience up to date with the sto . , ., ., , , audience up to date with the sto. ., i, story. it is a really big story in the uk- _ story. it is a really big story in the uk. this _ story. it is a really big story in the uk. this is _ story. it is a really big story in the uk. this is the - story. it is a really big story in the uk. this is the waspi j in the uk. this is the waspi campaign. a group of women born in the 1950s. several governments ago, 29 years ago, john major's government made a decision and passed a law to say that between 2010 and 2020 those women's pensions would rise from being paid at the age of 62 65. the timetable was sped up by david cameron's government. these women say they were never told, they were not given adequate notice. in some cases they got to the age of 60, having made plans to

begin receiving their state pension then and discovered they would not receive it for another five years. they would not receive it for anotherfive years. for they would not receive it for another five years. for years they have been campaigning for compensation to alleviate that issue, to alleviate the pressure on their finances which resulted. there was a report a few months ago from an official body, parliamentary ombudsman, which said the government should pay compensation. yesterday, the government responded by saying they would not pay compensation. they made broadly two arguments for why. 0ne compensation. they made broadly two arguments for why. one was that even the ombudsman who recommended compensation said that 90% of the affected women did know they were affected, so they say it would not be proportionate to give compensation to 1950s born women in relation to that. the other argument this government makes is the pressure on the public finances, as we had from rachel reeves in a different context, is such that they cannot afford to pay a blanket compensation. but there is political sensitivity here. in

recent years the labour party was not saying that it would pay this conversation —— it would not pay this compensation, many labour politicians had said that they supported the waspi campaign. there is the sense that even if it has taken place over several years rather than happening yesterday, there is the sense that the labour party has changed its tune on this waspi campaign. changed its tune on this waspi cam aiun. , ., , changed its tune on this waspi campaign-— campaign. henry, as always, thank you — campaign. henry, as always, thank you for _ campaign. henry, as always, thank you for bringing - campaign. henry, as always, thank you for bringing us - thank you for bringing us up—to—date. henry's ferman, our political correspondent. much more on the live page on our website as well. syria is not stable enough for a large—scale return of refugees, according to a warning by the head of the un's international organisation for migration. speaking after a visit to damascus, amy pope said about 100,000 people had already returned. let's speak to our middle east correspondent lina sinjab who's in damascus.

you are there, you have been reporting from there since the fall of the assad regime. what is the situation when it comes to refugees there?— to refugees there? well, the country has _ to refugees there? well, the country has suffered - to refugees there? well, the country has suffered 13 - to refugees there? well, the country has suffered 13 years of war and its economy has collapsed. the assad regime was a corrupt regime and he depleted all the resources for his own benefit and the benefit of his own group of loyalists. to have the hundreds of thousands of refugees come back, that is a big challenge. most of the cities, towns and streets and homes have been destroyed by asad's bombing. we visited the outskirts of damascus, and it is completely flattened. we were told that 400,000 lived in that neighbourhood. forthat

400,000 lived in that neighbourhood. for that to be rebuilt and inhabited again it needs a flood of international aid and money to come in for the reconstruction. that is only one example. many other towns and across the city and the country, many inhabitants had to flee because of the bombing and their homes have been destroyed. even internally in syria there are 7 million internally displaced and they cannot go back to their towns and cities because they have been destroyed. the infrastructure, electricity, water is not there. even here in the capital damascus that has not been touched by the war, many people are still living here and the electricity is not there and the heating is not there. it is really cold in winter. many people cannot afford to buy generators, cannot afford a solar system, so there are a lot of challenges, mainly on the economic level. it really needs funding coming in and for the

interim government, led by ahmed al—sharaa, they have been stressing that they need the sanctions enforced on the country by the eu to be lifted. though sanctions were tailored because of assad plasma atrocities on his own people, but they have crippled the economy and hinder any aid coming in and that is the priority now, for this to be lifted to allow international communities to help. thank you so much for— communities to help. thank you so much for bringing _ communities to help. thank you so much for bringing us - so much for bringing us up—to—date. much more also on our website. around the world and across the uk this is bbc news.

welcome back. concerns are mounting that the cyclone that hit the french indian ocean island of mayotte has caused great loss of life. a surgeon said the emergency department at his hospital had seen worryingly few patients, given the scale of the destruction. there are reports that many people had disappeared in shanty towns where thousands

of illegal immigrants lived. many homes were flattened by winds and mudslides. our correspondent, mayeni jones, reports from reunion. the aid efforts by the french government have been coordinated here from reunion, because a lot of mayotte has simply been too damaged for them to be able to work there very well. aeroplanes can't land at night because of damage to the one airport on the island, so currently an air corridor has been built from the island of reunion, here right up to mayotte. the situation on the ground remains very chaotic, very desperate for people, particularly outside of the capital. a number of people are struggling to get access to water or food. they've had to fix the amount of water and food people can buy in local supermarkets. there's reports of large queues outside banks as people try and get some cash out to buy whatever food there is, there is left. it's also very difficult to move around the island. a lot of the roads have been damaged. petrol is being reserved for the emergency services,

understandably, but that makes it very difficult for people to move around if they do want to try and find some food and water. so the authorities say their main priority is to get water to the people there, to get the treatment plants, water treatment plants back up and running to avoid an outbreak of infectious diseases like cholera, because they don't want to complicate an already very desperate situation. the us state department says it's cautiously optimistic that a deal to end the fighting in gaza and secure the release of israeli hostages is within reach. talks have been taking place in egypt and qatar. all previous attempts have collapsed. let's speak to our middle east correspondent yolande knell injerusalem. tell us, where are we with these reports? i tell us, where are we with these reports?— tell us, where are we with these reports? i think there are rising — these reports? i think there are rising hopes— these reports? i think there are rising hopes that - these reports? i think there are rising hopes that a - these reports? i think there| are rising hopes that a deal, if it is not imminent, could be reached in the days ahead. things are looking much more positive than they have done for at least the last couple of

months. we have a lot of diplomatic comings and goings. we have been hearing unconfirmed reports that the cia director, william burns, who has been a key negotiator, is on his way to qatar to meet the prime ministerfrom qatar. also reports that top security officials who handled the negotiations have been in cairo with indirect talks going on there. of course, the effort by there. of course, the effort by the regional mediators and by the regional mediators and by the us is to try to bridge the gaps between israel and hamas, with it looking very much like recent events have significantly weakened hamas and it could be persuaded to make significant concessions. when it comes to those concessions, remind us what they could potentially be. previously what we have had is hamas' negotiating position and it has insisted it wants to see a full end to this war, a full

withdrawal of israeli forces from the gaza strip in order to release those hostages that it still holds. israel, meanwhile, has been insisting that it wants to have the right to act against any threats that it sees emanating from gaza. it has not wanted to commit to a pull out or ending the fighting in return for getting those hostages back home. now it does seem from some of the sources we have been hearing that hamas is prepared to accept that israel may remain in strategic positions inside gaza. we have had the israeli defence minister saying that israel must have security control for its military and the gaza strip in future and it must have full freedom of action. those were his words, comparing the situation there to what is currently the situation in the occupied west bank. fits currently the situation in the occupied west bank. as always, thank ou occupied west bank. as always, thank you so — occupied west bank. as always, thank you so much _ occupied west bank. as always, thank you so much for— occupied west bank. as always, thank you so much for bringing l thank you so much for bringing us up—to—date. let's pick up on

some of those points. let's pick up on some of those points. joining me now is the middle east and africa analyst for private intelligence firm sibylline, megan sutcliffe. and that idea that hamas has to concede somewhat the idea that israel potentially will remain within gaza and yet those israeli hostages will potentially be released, is that something you think hamas will eventually agree to? i think it is certainly possible. the optimism we have seen over the past few days regarding reports progress in negotiations are likely reflects increased flexibility on the part of hamas, particularly regarding israel's possible presence. there are any number of factors that could have resulted in this slight shift in negotiating position, but it might be attributed to international dynamics, whereby the pressure on hamas is greater than ever before, they're leveraged is

decreasing, and all of this may well be conducive to an agreement being reached in the coming days. agreement being reached in the coming days-— agreement being reached in the coming days. what do you make of palestinian _ coming days. what do you make of palestinian islamic _ coming days. what do you make of palestinian islamichhad - of palestinian islamichhad being in cairo? does that tell us something about the position when it comes to the hostages? they have a role in holding some of those hostages. absolutely, palestinian islamic jihad is one of the most active militant groups in gaza, they hold several hostages and participated in the 7th of october attacks. the 0ctober attacks. the negotiations likely indicates that there are progress in efforts to establish where hostages are, who is holding them and what their condition is. all of this points to efforts to draw up lists and securing the release in exchange for a possible ceasefire. that being said, cairo is not exactly where the core negotiations are taking place. the majority of critical negotiations involving the us, hamas permit negotiating teams

and high—ranking israeli officials are taking place in doha. this is a complex travel arrangement and even though purslane —— palestinian islamic jihad are taking part in talks, it does not indicate what will happen in the coming hours. there were reports that negotiations were not moving and that is all lifted now and they are back and fully involved? it they are back and fully involved?— they are back and fully involved? ., , ,., involved? it would seem so. qatar announced _ involved? it would seem so. qatar announced they - involved? it would seem so. qatar announced they were | qatar announced they were winding down the mediation role because of a lack of productive engagement from both parties. however, as of late, we have seen the prime minister stating that the renewed engagement likely indicates that there is a desire for a ceasefire. we are now seeing qatar re—engaging and leveraging us support in particular in order to try and move these discussions forward. megan sutcliffe, —

discussions forward. megan sutcliffe, thank _ discussions forward. megan sutcliffe, thank you - discussions forward. megan sutcliffe, thank you very . discussions forward. megan i sutcliffe, thank you very much for talking us through that situation and giving us your analysis. of course, we have got much more on our website as well when it comes to those talks between israel and hamas. a lot more background as well. stay with us here on bbc news. the rain is pushing northwards and clearing, only to be pushed back with rain from the south—west. this afternoon we will see behind the rain brighter skies developing and even some sunshine. the peppering of showers coming in from the north—west. heavy rain moving in across the south—west and into wales. temperatures today are widely ten to 13

degrees, but in scotland and northern ireland as the wind changes to north—westerly the temperatures go down. this evening and overnight the rain continues to clear away to the north sea. behind that, clearer of high pressure built in so some of us �* away to the continues to clear away to the north sea. behind that, clearer skies and showers coming into skies and showers coming into the north and west and on the the north and west and on the hills in the north and west hills in the north and west some of those will be wintry. some of those will be wintry. it will be a colder night and it will be a colder night and we could see a touch of frost we could see a touch of frost in scotland and north—east in scotland and north—east england and northern ireland. england and northern ireland. tomorrow it will all be bathed tomorrow it will all be bathed in this north—westerly flow and in this north—westerly flow and it will feel colder than today. it will feel colder than today. it will feel like a blustery it will feel like a blustery day when you add on the wind day when you add on the wind chill. but a lot of dry chill. but a lot of dry weather, blue skies. showers in weather, blue skies. showers in the north and west and some of the north and west and some of those will be wintry on the those will be wintry on the hills. temperature wise, hills. temperature wise, temperatures much lower than temperatures much lower than today. it is five to 9 degrees, today. it is five to 9 degrees, but add on the wind—chill and but add on the wind—chill and it will feel colder than that. it will feel colder than that. 0vernight thursday this ridge 0vernight thursday this ridge

of high pressure built in so of high pressure built in so some of us �*away some of us could see a frost and on friday this next weather front comes in, introducing rain. a cold start to the day

welcome to viewers on bbc news on bbc two. we welcome to viewers on bbc news on bbc two— on bbc two. we are discussing the waspi _ on bbc two. we are discussing the waspi women. _ on bbc two. we are discussing the waspi women. ministers i on bbc two. we are discussing l the waspi women. ministers said in support and solidarity, enduring support and solidarity for these women. the things they said before they were elected. so keir starmer was

photographed with a waspi sign saying i support fair compensation. liz kendall stood up compensation. liz kendall stood up in the commons yesterday and she said, this injustice cannot go on. rachel reeves brandished a poster saying she will work for a fair solution for all women affected. the first solution seems to be now they are in power the £22 billion black hole would be zilch. absolutely nothing. the ombudsman said there should be a payout. they are now saying most of the women were informed about it and should have planned accordingly, so there will be no money. get in touch. we have also on the line a craig and peter borough and a former teacher from craig and peter borough and a former teacherfrom brighton. for those joining former teacherfrom brighton. for thosejoining isjust now, listening to how angry you are,

you feel you