in the uk, forecasters are warning that thick fog that's causing travel disruption is likely to continue for much of the day. and live pictures from delhi, where indians are gathering to pay their respects to former prime minister, manmohan singh, at his state funeral. hello. i'm lauren taylor. the united states says it's seen "early indications" that suggest a azerbaijani airlines plane, which crashed in kazakhstan this week, was possibly brought down by russian air defence systems. the kremlin has so far refused to comment on the allegations. the airline says that the preliminary results of the investigation into the incident found there was "external physical and technical interference". but the report stopped short of accusing any group or country of being responsible. the azerbaijan transport minister said all of the 29 survivors of the crash "without exception" said they heard three blast sounds when the plane was flying

above grozny in southern russia. the head of russia's aviation authority says the plane was unable land at grozny airport, because of a ukrainian drone attack. 38 people died when the plane came down, two miles short of the runway, at aktau airport, in kazakhstan. this report from jon donnison. this is the moment the plane went down. it's remarkable anyone survived. but emerging from the wreckage, some did. the flight had been diverted to kazakhstan after passengers heard bangs when it tried to land at its original destination, grozny, in chechnya. translation: they say there were two bangs, l but i only heard one. it was quite substantial. i honestly didn't hear the second one.

at first, only some of the oxygen masks fell out, not all of them. investigators are now examining the damage to the outside of the plane. the owner, azerbaijan airlines, said only that it had suffered external physical and technical interference. the kremlin has again refused to comment on speculation that it was mistakenly brought down by a russian air defence system. translation: i'd like to point out that the situation on that l day during those hours in the area around grozny airport was very difficult. ukrainian military drones were carrying out terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure in the city of grozny and others nearby. in azerbaijan today, the first funerals for some of the 38 people who were killed. why they died will take time to find out, and will likely be disputed. jon donnison, bbc news.

the world health organization says the last major functioning hospital in northern gaza has been put out of service, after it was evacuated by the israeli military. the kamal adwan hospital has been under siege by the idf for weeks. staff say air strikes there on friday killed 50 people. the head of the hospital's nursing department told the bbc the army gave them only a is—minute warning to evacuate patients and staff, before the israeli army entered the hospital and removed anyone that remained. israel says the hospital was being used by hamas as a command centre, but has not provided any evidence to support this. our correspondent, shaimaa khalil, sent this report from jerusalem. we've managed to get through to the gaza deputy health minister, dr youssef abu el—rish, who gave us an update on the situation. he said the kamal adwan hospital had been completely evacuated with parts of its departments badly burned. he said that the ministry lost contact with some of the health staff, the medical staff, and that some others were taken

into questioning in a nearby building. he also added that some of the patients who are in serious conditions and were taken to the nearby indonesian hospital. the problem is is that this hospital itself was evacuated and bombarded a few days ago so he's saying you can't really call it a hospital, it's a shelter but there is no electrically, no generators, no water, no oxygen, so it's unclear how these patients in serious conditions are going to be cared for. earlier, the head of the nursing department inside the hospital told the bbc that they were given 15 minutes to move medical staff and patients — some of whom were on ventilators — into the courtyard, and we heard testimony from medical staff that they were told to take their clothes off to be searched. there is a video of a group of men, reportedly in the vicinity of the hospital, walking, not wearing any clothes, in their undergarments, holding their clothes and raising their hands up in a completely destroyed neighbourhood with tanks nearby. 50 people were killed. just before the evacuation, hours before the evacuation, 50 people were killed,

five of them medical staff. we were told that by the director of the kamal adwan hospital who said that there was bombardment in a building near the hospital. and you could see in the video there was a drone, a quad copter that was dropping explosives on that building. now, the idf has told us that they're unaware of any medical staff who were killed and that they're looking into the reports, but they also said they were conducting an operation in the area near the hospital that they called a hamas stronghold. i mean, if you look at the area around the hospital, the vicinity around the hospital, the destruction is nearly complete. the buildings are nearly razed to the ground, there is rubble everywhere — these are neighbourhoods that have been now experiencing relentless bombardment and shelling for weeks and weeks, since that military campaign in october by the israeli military who say they are going after hamas, trying for them not to regroup in the area. and the medical officials have told us that the kamal adwan wasn't just a hospital that

offered medicalfacilities, it offered people hope that they were going to get better and now that hope is gone. with me is mohamed taha, from bbc arabic. and illustration of still intense israeli operations in gaza. ., . , intense israeli operations in gaza. . . , ., , intense israeli operations in gaza. indeed, exactly as was bein: gaza. indeed, exactly as was being said — gaza. indeed, exactly as was being said there, _ gaza. indeed, exactly as was being said there, the - gaza. indeed, exactly as was being said there, the hope i gaza. indeed, exactly as was l being said there, the hope was nearly lost, especially on northern gaza. the world health organization said the hospital was the last medical facility working in northern gaza. this hospital and the vicinity of the hospital now in a deep humanitarian crisis at the moment. there are more than 100 patients that are in the hands

of the israeli forces, there are more than 200 medical staff also detained, and the whole area is completely destroyed. the israeli forces in the search of militants, of hamas commence at the hospital, said the hospital completely on fire, and now the world health organization does not have any ability to provide medical facilities all medical services in northern gaza. now the situation in northern gaza has become very, very serious, there is no medicalfacility thatis there is no medicalfacility that is working, there are tens of thousands of people who chose not to move from the north to the south, and staying between rebels and ruins of their homes in northern gaza are in a very dire situation. this civilian facilities that are completely destroyed at the

moment are lost, and the people of northern gaza are facing a really difficult time. the weather, the forecast in gaza is saying there will be heavy rain soon, and wind, and cold weather, and this will cause more misery to the people in northern gaza, unless a big intervention would happen to offer them all out and more of a pipeline to lie.— a pipeline to lie. and in the meantime. _ a pipeline to lie. and in the meantime, there _ a pipeline to lie. and in the meantime, there is - a pipeline to lie. and in the meantime, there is talk - a pipeline to lie. and in the meantime, there is talk of| meantime, there is talk of operation between israel and the houthis in yemen, and the houthis still seem to be firing missiles, don't they?- missiles, don't they? yes, it looks like — missiles, don't they? yes, it looks like the _ missiles, don't they? yes, it looks like the main - missiles, don't they? yes, it looks like the main war - missiles, don't they? yes, it looks like the main war that| looks like the main war that israel is doing at the moment, orfacing at the israel is doing at the moment, or facing at the moment is between israel and the houthis in yemen, who are 2000 kilometres, or more than 2000 kilometres, or more than 2000 kilometres away from israel. after the ceasefire between israel and hezbollah in

northern israel, and after also israel managed to largely eliminate most of the capabilities of hamas in gaza, now iran and the houthis and all the forces working against israel putting their weight behind the houthis in yemen, they provide them with this long ballistic missiles that can reach israel. israel has got four nt defence missile steak and he admit defence missiles, —— and t defence missiles. the iron dome, and the sad system provided by the united states, which intercepted one of them missiles. the houthis havejust of them missiles. the houthis have just also fired two hours

ago one more missiles into israel, and that was intercepted, and the israeli forces and the israeli authorities are really determined to retaliate back. thank you very much indeed. the state funeral of the former indian prime minister, manmohan singh, has been taking place in the capital delhi. india's first sikh leader died on thursday, at the age of 92. live to delhi and our correspondent, arunoday mukharji. tell us what's been happening. i am currently standing outside the congress party headquarters. the congress party happens to be india's principal opposition party the party of which the former prime minister man mohan sing was a member of. i have been standing here, and this is where his body was taken —— dr singh. just to describe what we saw over the past couple of hours when the body was brought here,

unless leaders were here, we saw a steady flow of congress party supporters who had gathered at the congress party headquarters to pay their respects, we had sloganeering and the chance of long live dr singh. his family as well was here for about an hour before the body was moved out to another location where as i said he will be cremated with full military honours. why he is being honoured is because of the leader he was, he was a veteran congressman who was india's finance minister first for 1991 in years, india's finance minister first for1991 in years, and india's finance minister first for 1991 in years, and that is where he really shot to fame because of his big economic liberalisation policies, which opened up india's economy for the first time to investment, many credit him to charting india's growth story to get in the on the path of economic growth. priorto the on the path of economic growth. prior to that he was governor of the reserve bank of india, so he was always considered an academic and a scholar first considered an academic and a scholarfirst and a considered an academic and a scholar first and a politician later. he then became prime

minister in 1994, he was chosen as prime minister, often referred to as the accidental prime minister, but he served a full ten years, a five year term and then another successive five—year time before prime minister narendra modi came to power. just to give you a sense of how he cut a cross party lines is evident in the way we are seeing condolence messages pouring from a cross party lines, right from a cross party lines, right from the prime minister narendra modi who said india is mourning one of its most distinguished leaders the cunner contribution he has made, notjust of the country but specifically to india's economy. but specifically to india's economy-— but specifically to india's economy. but specifically to india's econom . ., ., ~ ., economy. so often talked about as a quiet _ economy. so often talked about as a quiet politician, _ economy. so often talked about as a quiet politician, a - as a quiet politician, a different style from the bombastic and politicians we are used to.— are used to. 0h, absolutely, and that's— are used to. 0h, absolutely, and that's a _ are used to. 0h, absolutely, and that's a very _ are used to. 0h, absolutely, and that's a very important i and that's a very important point. he was always remembered for being quiet, for being soft spoken, for speaking very briefly, as well as someone who could take people along, build consensus as well. but this was also something that a lot of

critics said was not working as a prime minister, because, as i said, he was considered to be a prime minister chosen at the last moment when another candidate refused, sonia gandhl candidate refused, sonia gandhi, because there is controversy about her italian origins. the congress party chose dr manmohan singh to succeed her in her place rather. he was accused of being someone who was prime minister but was essentially taking a lot of the decisions from the party leadership and not take acting on his own. these are charges he always denied, and said history will be kinder to me, he said, at one point of time. but having said that, he is also credited for notjust bringing india out of its economic isolation in a sense, he is also credited to bring india out of its nuclear isolation. he will also be remembered as many are writing forgetting a nuclear deal with the us, which ended india's nuclear isolation as well. so a

man, an economist, a politician as well and the minister. dr manmohan singh is going to be cremated in about an hour's time with full state- cremated in about an hour's time with full stat airline passengers are being warned they could face further travel disruption today, as the thick fog, which led to dozens of cancellations and delays across uk airports yesterday, continues. drivers are also being urged to take extra care, amid reduced visibility on the roads. our reporter simon jones has the latest. as the fog descended at heathrow airport, so did the gloom for the passengers caught up gloom for the passengers caught up in the delays and cancellations it has been causing. hundreds of flights at several airports including black —— gatwick and glasgow have been effected at one of the busiest times for travel during the festive break. at manchester, there returning to the uk after christmas abroad were to touch down, even if it was much later than expected. we

down, even if it was much later than expected.— down, even if it was much later than expected. we were an hour late boarding. — than expected. we were an hour late boarding, then _ than expected. we were an hour late boarding, then when - than expected. we were an hour late boarding, then when we - than expected. we were an hourj late boarding, then when we got on the plane, they said it was going to be another hour and a half, because they were queueing up at this end because of the fog. so otherwise we would have been flying around with no fuel. i would have been flying around with no fuel.— with no fuel. i think it was delayed — with no fuel. i think it was delayed by _ with no fuel. i think it was delayed by two _ with no fuel. i think it was delayed by two hours - with no fuel. i think it was delayed by two hours or i delayed by two hours or something like that, due to the fo- something like that, due to the fog and — something like that, due to the fog and stuff. i'm glad to be back— fog and stuff. i'm glad to be back home. fog and stuff. i'm glad to be back home-— fog and stuff. i'm glad to be back home. , . , ~ . ., back home. this was the merc at cardiff. back home. this was the merc at cardiff- the _ back home. this was the merc at cardiff. the uk's _ back home. this was the merc at cardiff. the uk's main _ back home. this was the merc at cardiff. the uk's main air - cardiff. the uk's main air traffic control provider put in place temporary air traffic restrictions due to the widespread fog. in a statement, it said... but there are warnings that this might not be quick to resolve. the airlines, despite all the best efforts last night, will be faced with a big problem this morning, that their planes and their pilots aren't necessarily in the right place to start getting people where they need to be. so i'm

afraid disruption could continue all day, and if fog remains, then that is going to be very disruptive for tens of thousands of passengers. drivers are being urged to take care on the roads too, as many make the journey time from family and friends. the tricky conditions have been created by persistent low cloud, mist and fog being trapped in place by a persistent slow—moving area of high pressure. it persistent slow-moving area of high pressure-— high pressure. it has created a lot of cloud, _ high pressure. it has created a lot of cloud, which _ high pressure. it has created a lot of cloud, which is - high pressure. it has created a lot of cloud, which is got - lot of cloud, which is got lower and lower, so lots of misty and murky conditions, particularly on friday, which had a few impacts of some roads and airports. the good news is, through saturday, winds will pick up, so will see the cloud start to break up in the north, still pretty and misty and murky day for much of england and wales. murky day for much of england and wales-— murky day for much of england and wales. the fog has created some stunning _ and wales. the fog has created some stunning scenes, - and wales. the fog has created some stunning scenes, but - and wales. the fog has created i some stunning scenes, but those hoping to travel today will certainly be glad to be the back of these wintry wonders. simonjones, bbc news.

demonstrators have taken to the streets of seoul, a day after mps ousted south korea's acting president, han duck—soo, less than two weeks after he was appointed. the impeachment vote of mr han was boycotted by the governing party, and there were unruly scenes in the chamber, as mps surrounded the speaker's chair, shouting and raising their fists. let's speak to sung—yoon lee, global fellow at the woodrow wilson international center for scholars. thank you very much for being with us. it has been an extraordinary situation in south korea. one vote on impeaching one president and then the next person gets voted against for impeachment. now we have the finance minister acting as president. can he stabilise things, do you think? i hope so. there is a lot of trauma in this month of december in south korea. historically life after the presidency has not been kind to the vast majority of the leaders. one wonders why they

actually run for office. the first president was ousted in a popular uprising, the next one as well, and then you had a military strongman who was assassinated. his two successors would end up in jail, two more later, and one committed suicide, this is the second with a third impeachment of a sitting president. previously one was exonerated, the other found guilty and removed from office, and understandably the national sentiment has been very unkind for president yoon for his sudden, unexpected and shocking declaration of martial law earlier this month. but there has been a plot twist, i would say, in recent days, and the opposition party is in a race towards the finish line to have their candidate for the next president exonerated from his many troubles with the law. 50 many troubles with the law. so tell us what is next for the impeachment process and how long that's going to take. the

constitutional _ long that's going to take. tue: constitutional court long that's going to take. tte: constitutional court will decide, will deliberate and issue a judgment in all impeachment cases. the current national assembly dominated by the majority enjoyed by the democratic party, the opposition party, has set a record for south korean history with 29 impeachment motion is passed. so the constitutional court has created duties right now in deliberating the more serious impeachment duties of a sitting resident and now the prime minister. the opposition party has threatened to impeach every single person in the cabinet, if necessary, unless they do as told. so yes, it's quite dramatic care.- they do as told. so yes, it's quite dramatic care. and how much is all — quite dramatic care. and how much is all this _ quite dramatic care. and how much is all this damaging - quite dramatic care. and howj much is all this damaging the south korean economy? the south korean currency _ south korean economy? the south korean currency has _ south korean economy? the south korean currency has hit _ south korean economy? the south korean currency has hit an - korean currency has hit an all—time low over the past 16 years now, so for businesses,

for even students who go to the united states or the united kingdom to study overseas, just buying foreign currency has become very arduous, very difficult. so it is a serious situation. foreign investors are losing confidence in the south korean market, but this kind of turmoil, we are really in uncharted territory right now, having an acting president impeached, right after the impeachment of the sitting president, so it's quite chaotic at this moment. thank ou ve chaotic at this moment. thank you very much _ chaotic at this moment. thank you very much for _ chaotic at this moment. thank you very much for your- you very much for your analysis. let's get some of the day's other news now. president—elect donald trump has asked the united states supreme court to pause proceedings that would ban tiktok, unless its sold to an american buyer. legislation, due to be brought in a day before mr trump's inauguration onjanaury 20th, would prohbit the use of the chinese social media app in the us. trump's legal team said he wanted the "opportunity "to pursue a political solution".

mexico's government has announced an emergency strategy to protect migrants in the united states, ahead of donald trump's inauguration. president—elect trump has threatened to deport millions of illegal migrants. among the measures announced by the foreign minister, juan ramon de la fuente, is a mobile phone app, which will have a panic button that can be activated by anyone facing imminent arrest by us immigration officials. ukraine's president zelensky has said that north korean soldiers, fighting on the russian frontline, are suffering huge losses, including several who have died whilst in ukrainian captivity. the white house said more than 1,000 north koreans had been killed or injured in the past week in the kursk region. the pope has recorded a message for thought for the day on bbc radio 4's today programme. in the recording, to be broadcast later, he urges hope and kindness, and the importance of humility. the message — recorded in italian and translated

into english — marks the catholic church'sjubilee year, which began on the 24th of december. more than a thousand critically endangered snails, some of which were bred in captivity here in the uk, have been released onto a remote portuguese island. the desertas island land snails were believed to be extinct, until an expedition team discovered a tiny native population, and set about growing their numbers. our science correspondent victoria gill has more. this is a story with some very tiny main characters. these are desertas island land snails. they were rescued from the brink of extinction and brought here to chester zoo, where they've been living and breeding inside this converted shipping container.— breeding inside this converted shipping container. these were snails at risk _ shipping container. these were snails at risk of _ shipping container. these were snails at risk of extinction - shipping container. these were snails at risk of extinction or i snails at risk of extinction or thought to be actually extinct in the wild, so we were lucky enough to have them brought to us, and this is where we've managed to breed out from very low numbers to what we have here today, which is almost

1400 snails ready for release. there are two snail species the team of bringing back to their wild island home off the coast of portugal. this keyless snails and the even smaller geo metro. they are prepared for the journey with a little scientific makeover. haste the journey with a little scientific makeover. ~ ., scientific makeover. we have uv markets and _ scientific makeover. we have uv markets and literally _ scientific makeover. we have uv markets and literally just - scientific makeover. we have uv markets and literally just a - markets and literallyjust a metallic pen. markets and literally 'ust a metallic pen.�* markets and literally 'ust a metallic en. ~ , ., , metallic pen. why do they need to be marked? _ metallic pen. why do they need to be marked? basically, - metallic pen. why do they need to be marked? basically, so - to be marked? basically, so there are — to be marked? basically, so there are some _ to be marked? basically, so there are some individuals i to be marked? basically, so i there are some individuals left in the wild and we just want to be able to distinguish the ones we have read and release of the contract their progress. this is a desk — contract their progress. this is a desk yellow _ contract their progress. this is a desk yellow snail. - contract their progress. this is a desk yellow snail. the shell— is a desk yellow snail. the shell is— is a desk yellow snail. the shell is marked with at green mark— shell is marked with at green mark and _ shell is marked with at green mark and there is a uv market in the — mark and there is a uv market in the middle. they are ready to go — in the middle. they are ready to no. , , ., , in the middle. they are ready toao. ,, , to go. the desertas islands, close to madeira _ to go. the desertas islands, close to madeira in - to go. the desertas islands, | close to madeira in portugal, are their destination and their natural home. the largest of the islands where the last snails were found has had its habitat decimated, eaten away by rates —— rats, goats and

mice brought here by people, so the team have brought the snails to a protected neighbouring island. it has meant a long and precarious journey. after waiting for the ideal cooler evening conditions, it is finally time to set the snails free. we are auoin to to set the snails free. we are going to release _ to set the snails free. we are going to release them - to set the snails free. we are going to release them really | going to release them really close under the rocks, which will be the perfect place for their new life, where they have protection, humidity and a lot of food. , , . protection, humidity and a lot offood. , , ., , ., protection, humidity and a lot offood. , ,., , ., , of food. this is a small but significant _ of food. this is a small but significant part _ of food. this is a small but significant part of- of food. this is a small but significant part of a - of food. this is a small but | significant part of a mission to restore the natural habitat and wildlife on these mountainous atlantic islands. if it goes well, more snails will be brought here next year, each bringing a small splash of colour back to their habitat. victoria gill, bbc news. now, if you live in chicago this is one way

you can recycle your christmas tree — by donating it to some goats. the urban growers collective is accepting donations of decoration—free pine christmas trees at its south chicago farm. the trees make a nutritious snack for goats, loaded with vitamins a and c, and it helps the animals maintain a healthy digestion. definitely no elves for them to munch on, otherwise it's bad for their tummy. a reminder of one of our main stories. the funeral quotation is under way for manmohan singh, the former prime minister of india, who passed away at the age of 92 on thursday. he will be cremated today, and do stay with us here on bbc news. plenty more coverage of that story and the rest of the day's news. thanks for watching. goodbye for now. hello. for some places, mist and fog lingered throughout friday, causing some disruption. some of that mist and murk lingered on into the night as well. but over the weekend, well, that fog should slowly start to lift as the breeze picks up.

we will, though, see some rain setting in across the north of the uk. bit of rain across the north of the uk, actually, on saturday, in association with this weak weather front. it is this area of high pressure further south that's been trapping all the low cloud, mist and fog, that high slowly starting to drift away southeastwards, but still a pretty murky start across large parts of england and wales. i think some of that fog will lift through the day, particularly across parts of wales, northern england. a few sunny spells, it may stay quite murky down towards the south. for northern ireland and scotland, we'll see a band of cloud and increasingly light and patchy rain pushing southwards, sunny spells and showers and some brisk winds, up towards the north of scotland, the breeze slowly picking up further south. temperatures generally between 7 and 11 degrees. now, as the breeze continues to pick up a little bit, i think we'll see a bit more of that cloud, mist and fog turning over and lifting, to some extent, across england and wales. for scotland, we'll see a band of clouds, some rain pushing in across western scotland, northern ireland seeing some clear spells through the night, temperatures 3—7 degrees,

and then we go on into sunday, as this weather front, a very weak affair, clears the south. that should clear away some more of that mist and murk. so i think a better chance of seeing some sunny spells across england and wales on sunday. northern ireland seeing some sunny spells as well. but for scotland, this weather front becomes slow—moving. it is set to bring some heavy and persistent rain, particularly in the northwest of scotland, and in fact that rain is set to continue not only on sunday but into monday and tuesday as well. will be mild for most of us, a little bit colder in the far north, and as we go through sunday night into monday, that weather front sinks southwards, but then bends northwards again, bringing rain back into scotland and some snow, particularly over high ground in the north of scotland. further south, drier conditions, a mix of cloud and some sunny spells, mild in the south but much colder further north and through the end of 2024 into the start of 2025, it will turn colder for all of us, turning windy as well. there will be some rain.

there may be some snow.

this is bbc news. the headlines: the white house says russia may have been responsible for the downing of the azerbaijan airlines plane that crashed on 25 december

and killed 38 people. the world health organization says that israeli forces have put the last major hospital in northern gaza out of service. it said initial reports showed key departments were severely burned and destroyed in yesterday's raid on kamal adwan hospital. israel said hamas had used the site as a command centre, but provided no evidence. in the uk, forecasters are warning that thick fog that's caused travel disruption is likely to continue for much of the day. there have been delays and cancellations at airports after air traffic controllers imposed safety restrictions. indians gather to pay their respects to former prime minister manmohan singh at his state funeral, the man key to the country's economic liberalisation. india's first sikh leader died on thursday at the age of 92. now on bbc news, the watermelons.