and expresses concerns for the safety of patients. thick fog is causing travel disruption around the uk, with flights cancelled and drivers warned to be careful on roads. and bidding farewell to india's former prime minister as manmohan singh�*s last rites were held with full state honours. hello, this is bbc news. breaking news. and russian president vladimir putin has apologised to azerbaijan's president for what he called a "tragic incident" in russian airspace involving the azerbaijan airlines plane that crashed in kazakhstan on christmas day, killing 38 people. there's no direct admission the plane was struck by a russian missile. a statement on the kremlin website says russian air

defence was repelling a drone attack while the plane was attempting to land. let's go live to moscow and the bbc�*s russia editor, steve rosenberg. it is at times like this that we are so thankful that you speak such exceptional russian. what was said? the wording is very important here in these situations. you have to look at the wording in the kremlin website in the readout of the conversation. yes, vladimir putin did apologise, but not for downing the plane, he apologised for what he called a tragic incident which took place in russian airspace. he expressed condolences to the families of the dead. so, according to the kremlin readout, this plane, the azerbaijan airlines flight, had been trying to land in grozny several times on christmas day.

at that time, according to the kremlin, russian air defences were repelling a ukrainian drone attack, so you could put two and two together, but that is not clear from the kremlin readout. so, basically, the kremlin is blaming ukraine for attacking grozny airport with drones. that is the way i read it from what the kremlin has put out in that statement, that description of the conversation between the two presidents. steve, president putin never apologises for anything, though, and a lot of people will look at this statement and wonder is it as close that we will get to an admission that pressure was responsible, given they said air defences were operational at the time? but what about the timing? there was a lot of pressure coming out of azerbaijan with people pointing the finger of blame very much at moscow. you are absolutely — very much at moscow. you are absolutely right, _ very much at moscow. you are absolutely right, lucy. - very much at moscow. you are absolutely right, lucy. ever. absolutely right, lucy. ever since this disaster, there has

been growing evidence that the plane may well have been hit by a russian air defensive missiles. azerbaijan airlines said i think it was yesterday that the plane was subjected to external, physical, and technical interference as well. you had america also yesterday saying they were early indications that the plane may have been shot, hit by a russian air defence system. so the evidence has been growing by the day and that leads us to the kremlin�*s decision to have this telephone conversation between the two presidents and put out this statement. we don't know the full details of what was said in that conversation between the presidents. we can see what the kremlin readout said. and this is the closest pressure has come so far to accepting responsibility for the

disaster.— responsibility for the disaster. ., ., , disaster. how important is the relationship — disaster. how important is the relationship with _ disaster. how important is the relationship with russia? - relationship with russia? russia wants to retain influence in the former soviet space. azerbaijan has been a key partner, even though azerbaijan is also now a key partner of turkey. but clearly i think the issuing of this statement, the telephone conversation between the two presidents is a sign that the kremlin does believe it is an important relationship to maintain. clearly there has been a lot of anger in baku after this disaster, and so that leads us to what the kremlin has said today and this apology, as i say, not for shooting down the plane, but for this incident taking place in russian airspace. but as we have been saying, this is the closest we have come to hearing an apology from russia for what happened on christmas day. thank you.

the world health organization and palestinian health officials say 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. the world health organization said it was deeply concerned for the safety of patients who were forced to leave. 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. palestinian health officials say around 100 medical staff were ta ken into an interrogating site and questioned last night and the director of the hospital was detained. some of the medical staff who have been released have now reached the indonesian hospital. israel says the kamal adwan hospital was being used by hamas as a command centre, but has not provided any evidence to support this. patients and medical staff have described what they witnessed during the evacuation. take a listen.

the army came to the hospital and asked all the medical staff and patients and people accompanying them to go into the court. then, they grouped everyone. the medical teams alone, the patients alone, then they got ambulances to get us and sent us to the main gate. the patients that were evacuated now have been held from interrogation despite their injuries. the army didn't care that they were injured, and left them out in the cold that 24 hours. they were left on the roundabout and we as paramedics got to the closest point despite the dangers and evacuated a large number of patients. our correspondent emir nader is injerusalem and i asked what the health picture in gaza now looks like. we've been speaking to the deputy minister of health from gaza who reported that after

the hospital was forcibly evacuated yesterday, around 100 of the medical staff were taken to be interrogated. some of those staff have now been released and have reported humiliating treatment. we understand others are still being interrogated, including the director of the hospital. as you mentioned, the israeli military has called the hospital a terrorist strongholds but they didn't provide any specific detail or further evidence. the hospital staff, for their part, really reject that accusation. now, there is real grave concerns for the fate of the patients that were being treated inside the hospital. we understand that a number of them have been moved to another hospital which itself was evacuated earlier in the week and where there is a lack of oxygen, a lack of water, food, and electricity.

now we have the world health organization who have said that 0rganization who have said that with the closure of kamal adwan, there is really nothing left in terms of medical treatment for those in that very northernmost pocket of gaza. fierce clashes are reported to have broken out on the border between afghanistan and pakistan. the taliban officials say their forces have launched attacks on areas in neighbouring pakistan. the development comes days after kabul said 46 people were killed in pakistani air strikes inside afghan territory. 0ur south asia regional editor anbarasan ethirajan gave us this update. crashes were reported on the border. the defence ministry spokesman, this is the defence ministry, said they had launched what they called retaliatory attacks. so far, we haven't heard any confirmation about casualties but one source reported is saying that there was one soldier killed and six others injured. it has triggered tensions

between the two forces across the border, particularly in the province. as said, what happened was that 46 people were killed when they carried out air strikes. the militants who had been targeting it insecurity in the province so that has resulted in a war of wills between the two sides because kabul always denied the accusations that it was harbouring any insurgents carrying out attacks on pakistani security forces. this is also led to people fleeing because of this escalating tensions in the province. here in the uk, airline passengers across the country are facing delays of up to several hours as thick fog which led to dozens of cancellations and delays across uk airports on friday continues. 0ur news correspondent barry caffrey has the latest from gatwick airport.

there is significant disruption here at gatwick airport. it all started yesterday when 48 flights were grounded and there has been a knock—on effect since. this morning, a number of cancellations took place but the main problem here at gatwick airport other delays, the vast majority of short—haul and flights going to european destinations as well as domestic flights have been delayed, some of them by more than three hours. and the travel expert simon calder says the disruption is expected to continue for the rest of the day. continue for the rest of the da . . , continue for the rest of the da . ., , , , ., day. the airlines, despite all their best — day. the airlines, despite all their best efforts _ day. the airlines, despite all their best efforts last - day. the airlines, despite all their best efforts last night, | their best efforts last night, will be — their best efforts last night, will be faced with a big problem this morning that their planes — problem this morning that their planes and their pilots aren't necessarily the right place to start — necessarily the right place to start getting people they need to be — start getting people they need to be. so i'm afraid disruption could — to be. so i'm afraid disruption could continue all day and if fo- could continue all day and if fog remains then that is going

to be — fog remains then that is going to be very disruptive for tens of thousands of passengers. well, — of thousands of passengers. well, it— of thousands of passengers. well, it is notjust gatwick airport having problems. heathrow airport cancelled 20 flights before eight o'clock this morning and a significant number of more flights have been cancelled there, and there are delays at birmingham airport, london city airport and manchester as well. the uk air traffic controller says temporary air traffic restrictions remain in place because of the low viz ability and it said the restrictions of that kind up only ever applied to maintain safety. it said it is in contact with all the airports and airlines to try and win disruption. the advice for travellers today, though, is to check with their airline before travelling to the airport and leave plenty of extra time for your journey and expect delays. 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 vote to impeach 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. and it's being reported that south korea's suspended president yoon suk yeol authorised the military to fire their weapons if needed to enter parliament during his failed bid to impose martial law. let's speak to sojin lim. she leads the international institute of korean studies at the university of central lancashire. very good to have you with us. still so much uncertainty and you've got rival protests on the streets today, what you think will happen next? 50. the streets today, what you think will happen next? so, as ou think will happen next? so, as you said. _ think will happen next? so, as you said, there _ think will happen next? so, as you said, there is _ think will happen next? so, as you said, there is very - think will happen next? so, as you said, there is very much i you said, there is very much uncertainty at the moment and it is not only about politics but also about the economy as well. because of that reason, many people came to the straight. and today it was quite surprising that the supporters of the president mr

yoon was out in the streets as well. it looks like people still have some support for the leading party. it is not only about president yoon. because of the issue and the internal political rivalry, we now have some uncertainty in the economy as well and also next month president trump will be there and that will be another factor that the korean economy will see in the future as a dangerous moment, to see trade and other tax issues. so it is not only about the politics but also about most of the issues around korea at the moment. what is the state of the korean

economy at the moment? at what is the state of the korean economy at the moment? at the moment, economy at the moment? at the moment. as _ economy at the moment? at the moment, as many _ economy at the moment? at the moment, as many of _ economy at the moment? at the moment, as many of us - economy at the moment? at the moment, as many of us know, i economy at the moment? at the i moment, as many of us know, the exchange rate is quite unstable and that affects a lot of the traders in korea, especially for those who are dependent on the trade with other countries, thatis the trade with other countries, that is pretty much under threat. and also the credit ratings we expected decrease soon, and on new year's, many of the small and medium enterprises as well. what is beinu enterprises as well. what is being made _ enterprises as well. what is being made of— enterprises as well. what is being made of the - enterprises as well. what is i being made of the prosecutors report in which it is alleged that mr unit said that military could open fire in order to enter parliament? —— mr yoon. that was surprising because many of the so—called allies have now turned out to show what actually happened, even recordings of conversations between them have been released. so that tells us that

mr yoon was in a really desperate situation because of the opposition party leader. before the martial law, already people were on the streets to demand his resignation because many people were not happy. so he was under threat with his wife's scandal and at the same time he did not want the opposition party leader becoming the president. so there was quite a significant evidence coming more and more, showing that mr yoon was quite unhappy with lots of actual threats to the parliamentary members and other members who were opposed. by, members and other members who were opposed-— were opposed. a lot of uncertainty, _ were opposed. a lot of uncertainty, thank - were opposed. a lot of uncertainty, thank you| were opposed. a lot of. uncertainty, thank you for joining us. time to catch up with the sport.

australia remain in charge of the fourth test in melboune, but india have hope, thanks to a superb first test century from nitish kumar reddy. playing only his fourth test match, the 21—year—old hit an unbeaten 105 to drag his side from 191—6 to 358—9 at the close of play. you can see what it meant to his dad here. a special moment. bad light and rain arrived soon after to end play, with india 116 runs behind going into day four — but they have hope of at least a draw thanks to reddy�*s hundred. the series is currently tied at 1 all. meanwhile at centurion, on day three