on the negotiating table for the peace process. but any lasting settlement where it comes to peace does require ukrainian voices. by indefinitely delaying the planned release of hundreds of palestinian prisoners. lam sumi i am sumi somaskanda live in burlington, where germans have burlington, where gerri-lens heve casting their burlington, where gerri-lens hove casting their ballots for been casting their ballots for about three hours now, are about three hours now, we are at a polling station, we will bring you all the analysis on critical election. 5 critical election. 1— live this critical election. —— live in berlin.

of the pope francis. night and was rested. these are the live pictures from the gemelli hospital treated for double pneumonia. he's been given oxygen and blood transfusions. outside hospital all week. the weekly vatican mass is still taking place. our europe correspondent sarah rasinford has but it might have been somewhat reassuring for catholics around the world who are following the pope's condition very, stark and very detailed update from the vatican

condition, but it said that he had been given oxygen because he had a chronic respiratory attack yesterday — those were the words of the vatican. they also said that he had had blood transfusions certainly for those who are watching this so closely. and certainly that is the case here in rome. up at the the hospital where the pope is being treated, to bring flowers and to say prayers for the pope. and here, as the monsignor here began his homily and to the church. so people here very much holding pope francis in their prayers.

getting in hospital. catholics worldwide. to germany, and wejust to germany, and we just had to germany, and wejust had a moment where the chancellor, olaf scholz, was voting, his coalition has collapsed, and eeelitien. hes eelteoseu. ene— . ~ ~ ~ have been eeetitien. hes eelteosed. ene— . ~ ~ ~ have been voting for voters have been voting for about three hours, expecting m1 results startin . from evening. let's 7 evening. let's see if we this evening. let's see if we can speak sumi somaskanda, can speak to sumi somaskanda, who is in for us. we who is in germany for us. we missed pictures of . scholz . . . scholz voting,:.. i'm hot olaf scholz voting,... i'm not

sure we have her, let's apologies. 7 apologies. can 7 hear see; ée’e’tie’sgeee but! ifeu use: 5555 ée’e’tie’sgee5 but! ifeu use: 555551§e§tesgee5 but! ifeu 5152! 5555 ée’e’tie’sgee5 but! ifeu 5152! offthe line off the line fora off the line for a moment. just off the line for a moment. go ahead. alight we just saw olaf scholz voting, tell us about these elections, it has a quick process time been a quick process this time around. yeah, you know, it been a quick process this time around. y been, >u know, it been a quick process this time around. y been, traditionally german elections you for german elections you have an entire summer of campaigning, but with the 77 % collapse, % fcollapse, we collapse, we saw a election ollapse, we saw a election called 9, we saw a election called and 5 saw a election called and 5 veryi snap election called and a very short run—up to the actual vote, and we spoke to some of the and lawmakers the candidates and lawmakers who said, has easy who said; it'hee'not been easy in who said; it'has'not been easy in the cold, campaigning in the cold, rallies indoors of z. to reach out to 7to reach out to voters. course to reach out to voters. we are at a location in in berlin, wejust schoneberg in berlin, wejust saw a box stuffed with saw a battbt be; stuffed with; ”" ”’ fl ’ ” and we have heard

that a lot have voted by mail, and many of them are ; into drop them 7 7 into drop them off 7 7 into drop them off at? 7 into drop them off atvthe them into drop them off at the city hall. but it certainly has been a tense and short election cycle, and some of the issues that really have driving that really have been driving some of the vote is we some of the vote is that we have been speaking to have been some of the vote is that we have t like speaking to have been some of the vote is that we have t like the aking to have been some of the vote is that we have t like the economy ave been some of the vote is that we have t like the economy and seen things like the economy and immigration, so of course issues that we have seen dominate in dominate other elections in other �* the e{ref eefee ef eee “if“? the eeeef eefee ee eee fiefle the uk eeeee eeeee ee eee fieele the uk and eeeee eeeee ee eee eee“? the uk and the eeeee eeeee ee eee ieee“? the uk and the us, including the uk and the us, but migration in particular did rise the top of really did rise to the top of the agenda because of attacks that germany witnessed that were carried by asylum were carried out by asylum seekers or people of immigrant background, and that really brought the debate to the a-ain. we again. we went forefront again. we went to on saturday, a city maddeburq 55>". saturdafiaeigg— 5———— ——~ — — ~ witnessed magdeburg 55>". saturdafiaeigg— 5———— ——~ — — ~ witnessed an attack on a that witnessed an attack on a christmas market in december, six people died, and we where six people died, and we talked about take a look. i think were “ust looking at pictures. h look. i think were just looking at pictures, actually, - merz and friedrich merz meeting and greeting people, i'm not sure

friedrich merz meeting and grl hasg people, i'm not sure friedrich merz meeting and grl has voted )le, i'm not sure friedrich merz meeting and grl has voted yet i'm not sure friedrich merz meeting and grl has voted yet or'| not sure friedrich merz meeting and grl has voted yet or is |ot sure friedrich merz meeting and grl has voted yet or is on sure friedrich merz meeting and grl has voted yet or is on his a to? to the e el; theipiolling’ ’ ' e el; theipollingstation, way to the polling station, but tell us why he has ended up in this position. so this position. sure, so friedrich _ this position. sure, so friedrich merz - this position. sure, so friedrich merz is - this position. sure, so friedrich merz is 69 i this position. sure, so friedrich merz is 69 old, friedrich merz is 69 years old, he comes from the west of germany, and he actually has a career in the christian long career in the christian democrats. that being said, he never actually rose to the position that he has now found himself, including former chancellor angela merkel, indeed he had run the tat i at the for the party lot the party at . at the party at the leadership of the party at the same time that merkel same time that angela merkel did back in 2005 and was not esheemanaged 1 eseheeemanaged to 1 eseheeemanaged to keep successful. she managed to keep him out of the way, if you himgout of the way. if you as a rival for many will, as a rivalfor many years. he is fairly conservative, socially conservative, socially conservative, he a catholic, conservative, he is a catholic, someone who has previously made headlines talking about being to reform germany’s able to reform germany's tax code by extensive tax code by being able do a on the -e of a beer mat. he has been

about breakin- down about breaking down red talking about breaking down red tape to get the economy started, and particularly again on issue of migration, he on that issue of migration, he said enough is enough, he has said enough is enough, he wants to take more radical wants to take more radios! towards limiting steps towards limiting w 5 55 5 5, into so steps towards limiting w 5 55 5 w into so he migration into germany, so he is someone who is certainly more on the conservative end of christian democrats, he the christian democrats, he says he is ready to lead this country. you look at the says he is ready to lead this coun right you look at the says he is ready to lead this coun right now, )ok at the says he is ready to lead this coun right now, the at the says he is ready to lead this coun right now, the christian polls right now, the christian democrats are, again, at the top of the polls, and it z: -= ”gigi friedrich" ”to; deficit" will eieeeeeeee ffieefiee ems he'll the tieeeeeeee ffieefiee the el“ the next again, be the next chancellor. again, he will have to a he will have to form a coalition5 process he will have to form a coalition. process that will coalition. a process that will time. §9§5l5ition rocess that will um §9§5l5ition rocess that will take time. tell us about the md, who — take time. tell us about the md, who have _ take time. tell us about the md, who have - a - take time. tell us about the md, who have - a big - take time. tell us about the i md, who have - a big surge afd, who have had a big surge in popularity. what are their in election? prospects in this election? it is really interesting, the far isreally interesting, the far afd, are to cover right afd, are used to cover the party emerged in them in the party emerged in them in the party emerged in the wake of the euro crisis, and they were more focused on economic conservatism, they eoonomio'oonsefvatism. they to leave eoonont'rc'oonsefvat'rsrn. they to leave eurozone, we re were criticising some of they were criticising some of they were criticising some of

the rescue package is the massive rescue package is that the german government was involved in at the time, but year after year, the grew year after year, the party grew more radical, and one afd leader told me it like a leader told me it was like a snake shedding its skin, becoming more radical every year. over past five years year5 ever the past five years ”575 5,5,55575a55a. year5 qverthe past five years 5 ~ ~ ~ 5 ~ ; we have parts of or so, we have seen parts of far right being extremist and fascist. deemed extremist and fascist. that doesn't affect the entire but the same time, party, but at the same time, even as the party has grown more right wing and more 27: z: e it has also picked extremist, it has also picked up extremist, it has also picked up votes. you know, three up votes. you know, about three years ago or we saw the up votes. you know, about three years at o or we saw the up votes. you know, about three years at around we saw the up votes. you know, about three years at around 10% saw the up votes. you know, about three years at around 10% sa the e up votes. you know, about three years at around 10% sa the vote party at around 10% of the vote in the last election. now they in the last eteetion5 how they ”"' at there are at around 20%. there are ”e’:f:,e for are at around 20%. there are "et for that, are at around 20%. there are "et forthat, in are at around 20%. there are "et for that, in part many reasons for that, in part people, you know, we talked the fact that migration eeehe eee eeeeeeeettfie eeeieehw e 7 been a real eeehe eee eeee’eeee’fiteeeeieehw e 7 been a real issue, people concerned about that, but also talkout 7 also talk about need they also talk about the need to get the economy back on to get the economy bask, on to get the economy bask, on to be to get the economy back, on to be proud of the economy again. we spoke

a in magdeburg was rtora votecinrmagdeburgwho was businessman, runs a a small businessman, he runs a small business selling mushrooms across germany, europe. and we talked to across europe, and we talked to him about what he sees the him about what he sees as the big problem, he says he sees german e m german asa sinkin- the german economy as a sinking ship, this is what he told us about concerns. translation: the costs are going un- _ have to pay a toll, and i drive a small truck. since then, i have to pay 1,000 euros a month for road tolls. what we have to pay just keeps going up. and, lauren, that is a sentiment we heard from many and, lauren, that is a sentimee eeeeertu' fro saying, small business owners, saying, it is our energy costs, look, it is our energy costs, the cost living, everything the cost of tiving, everything up, the costof tiving, everything up, we are struggling, is going up, we are struggling, and we need a leader who can

address inflation, rising energy costs, some of the that have if ——’ er economy, and indeed the german economy, and indeed the german economy, and indeed the has been in the economy has been in recession for two years, so a big concern for voters. is a big concern for voters. sumi somaskanda, thank you very much indeed for the time being. will have a quick dip into we will have a quick dip into pictures of voting, was friedrich has that was friedrich merz who has just been voting, as we mentioned, 69—year—old mentioned, the 69—year—old conservative leader is in pole position to become ecehaneceelleore,eee ee ee echaneceelleoere, ebutee e ecehaneceelleore, ebuteaes e chancellor, but as sumei next chancellor, but as sumi somaskanda was pointing out, he somaskanda was pointing outrhe issue of forming a has. the ieeee of forming a " * because of hee the ieeee ef fermina e' " * because of the way coalition, because of the way the electoral maths works in germany, the system they have, it is not first past the post. so i think we may now be that e that ise0laf that iseolaf scholz, seeing... that is olaf scholz, who was voting there, his collapsed after a big coalition collapsed after a big debate over how germany runs its budget deficit, so they had itfie auaget eefieit. so they “nae“ debt break, itfie auaget eetitit. so they had debt break, very strict rules

a debt break, very strict rules about how much the government can borrow, and that was one of theissues can borrow, and that was one of the issues that manage to blow up the issues that manage to blow up his coalition, and he then called... what them? a gaglled... whatto call them? a poll, that is the word i snap poll, that is the word i was looking for, so that is is eeiesehappening, is happening, german what is happening, german voters going ahead with those votes, and we should get indications of some initial indications of some of results on today. sir keir starmer has reiterated britain "ironclad support" for ukraine. it comes after a phone call with volodymyr zelensky. did not involve ukraine. invasion of ukraine. with me is is our political correspondent damian grammaticas. intervention on ukraine? well, this has been can politics for the last few days, well, this has been can p week for the last few days, well, this has been can p week or ' the last few days, well, this has been can p week or so, . last few days, well, this has been can p week or so, and :few days, well, this has been can p week or so, and the 1 days, well, this has been can p week or so, and the news, well, this has been can p week or so, and the news from ——

trump reaching out to donald trump reaching out to russia, his officials e table e e table with table with rusesian unsettling for officials. very unsettling for europeans and for ukraine, so saw, of course, we saw... of course, prime keir starmer minister keir starmer speaking to president zelensky on the phone yesterday, the second time in four days, giving this voice of support for ukraine, saying he will be going to donald —— w— saying he will be going to donald e we to say that donald trump to say that ukraine has to be part of any negotieations e e negotiations and e peace negotiations and what keir starmer�*s settlement. what keir starmer�*s ministers have been saying this morning, his education secretary has on the morning, his education secretary she on the morning, his education secretary she was on the morning, his education secretary she was asked 3 morning, his education secretary she was asked about airwaves, she was asked about that initial outreach, bringing president putin from the cold, has been criticised by many it has been criticised by many in europe, she was asked if it was the right to part of the settlement. so i do think that is the right approach. but any lasting settlement where it comes to peace does to be a central part of that. there can be no settlement but you said

president trump was right to bring russia to the table, by donald trump stunned western diplomats, appalled some in from the cold. well, there can be no settlement, we are, however, also clear in the risk that russia the interesting thing there, you are british you are seeing british officials trying take very you are seeing british official line, g take very you are seeing british official line, which |ke very you are seeing british official line, which ise very you are seeing british official line, which is to very have an ar-ument have an argument with not have an argument with donald trump about how he is going about things, because going about things. because 5 5 want to sit in the room they want to sit in the room and try to influence his approach. and try to influence his approach-— approach. and what is being said uk approach. and what is being said - uk defence - approach. and what is being - said - uk defence spending, said about uk defence spending, thatis said about uk defence spending, that is part of the whole discussion?— that is part of the whole discussion? -nm discussion? f??? should ald em discussion? f??? should ste em discussion? f??? should ste m discussion? f??? should ste discussion? f??? and should ste discussion? f??? andcertainl e- discussion? f??? - and certainly ep is ind do more, and certainly that is now being in the

being reflected in the thinking here, so the uk government says e ueueeeeeeeeteeeteetgeeze e to increase, is to increase, it havea have a timeline yet, from just over i of but from just over 2% of national income to 2.5%. netienet ineeme te abeutee’fi ' ' ”’ opposition conservatives morning that *—** e be going fure'ther, this should be going further, this is the opposition defence we think there are areas we will have to look at. we will certainly back the i think there's a key point here, right? defence spending has been broadly decreasing ever since — obviously, more sharply since the cold war. in many ways, we have spent the peace dividend on welfare. we now have a situation where there has been this very many people of working age. we're going to have to be more resilient. it's about our country getting

onto a progrowth footing. and there you see the debates that will start about how you would fund any increase defence spending, but this is also about what the wants to put on the table uk wants to put on the table for donald trump and to say to perhaps foreeces to perhaps forces on in ukraine, to the ground in ukraine, to the ground in ukraine, to the if stabilise the situation if there was a peace a =7z to increase defence commitment to increase defence and support for spending, and support for donald trump, saying, you know, eetehihktehsteeeee e e eetehihktehsteineee e e think that in approeathing e we think that in approaching this and trying to secure peace, there is value in that. grammaticas, egrammaticas, thank you damian grammaticas, thank you very 267 drones and three ballistic missiles in an overnight attack on saturday. damage was reported in five regions of the country. invasion of ukraine. david lammy said the measures, to be announced on monday, ukraine must also be involved.

with president trump, amid deep disagreements over a peace plan. our political correspondent ben wright reports. while there is talk of negotiating peace, monday marks three years since moscow's illegal invasion of ukraine, and this weekend, sir keir starmer told president zelensky he had the uk's "ironclad support". sharply criticised ukraine's leader in recent days and excluded the country from early talks with russia. diplomatic turmoil that has raised big questions about the future security of ukraine and europe. writing in the sun on sunday, the prime minister says, promised here in the uk." "we have talked about

this for long enough. when he travels to the white house for talks on thursday. but the government is piling the pressure on russia, too. the foreign secretary, david lammy, has said the uk will unveil a raft of new sanctions tomorrow to turn the screws on moscow. to turn the screws on moscow. he said it would be the largest package of measures since the early days of the conflict the early days of the conflict and would erode vladimir and would erode vladimir putin's military machine. putin's military machine. mr lammy insisted europe mr lammy insisted europe needed to double down on support for ukraine, needed to double down resisted by all allies echoing a call he made at a meeting of g20 at a meeting of g20 leaders last week. leaders last week. we remain ukraine's we remain ukraine's ironclad partner. ironclad partner. we committed to giving ukraine 3 billion a year for as long as it lasts. for as long as it lasts. this is a war that's going on. this is a war that's going on. it's claiming many, many lives. it's claiming many, many lives. there's a brutality and a war there's a brutality and a war of attrition that's being waged of attrition that's being waged against ukraine by russia,

and it must be resisted and must continue to be and must continue to be resisted by all allies in right—thinking countries. but president trump has appeared to blame ukraine for russia's invasion, and there is now a huge divide between europe and washington. for keir starmer this week, balancing uk support for ukraine while trying to keep washington onside is a mission fraught with jeopardy. ben wright, bbc news. israel has announced a significant expansion of its military operation in the occupied west bank. it includes the deployment of a tank division injenin. it's the first time tanks have been used in the palestinian territory for over 20 years. our correspondent mark lowen is injerusalem. tell us more about what is going on in the west bank there. ~ . there. well, lauren, the israeli military _ there. well, lauren, the israeli military says - there. well, lauren, the israeli military says it i there. well, lauren, the israeli military says it is| israeli military says it is time to prevent what it calls the resurgence of terrorism in the resurgence of terrorism in the occupied west bank, and as

you say, it sent in a tank division for the first time since 2005, and it has evacuated 40,000 people from three refugee camps. that is a very significant move there in the west bank, and i think the fear among many palestinians

—= —e m of is happening in e west e e west bank e e west bank with e e west bank with all e e west bank with all thee the west bank with all the attention on gaza. in the west bank with all the attention on gaza. in this all happening — attention on gaza. in this all happening - the - attention on gaza. in this all. happening - the ceasefire attention on gaza. in this all- happening - the ceasefire is happening when the ceasefire is at risk again because hamas are israel e e e e eeeeisie'aeeleofeee eethee e e the releease of delaying the release of palestinian tell us palestinian prudence, tell us more about that row that has been growing. more about that row that has been growing-— been growing. fez?§ than 600 been growing; - than 600 palestinian - we re were due to e weei'ee due to be prisoners were due to be released yesterday in exchange 22:5 the six e e the six israeli e e the six israeli hostages e freed e e ehéeeaebyeeeee freed by hamas, e freed by hamas, gut israel were freed by hamas, but israel has suspended that release of palestinian prisoners, saying hamas is violating e hamas is violating the e that hamas is violatingthe, the ceasefire and the hostaes for nical using the hostages for cynical propaganda. so there is a real propaganda5 so there is a real about the future concern about the future survival of the ceasefire. survival of the gaza ceasefire. mark lowen, thank you much mark lowen, thank you veryrnuch and we can listen in to sir keir starmer, who speaking at starmer, who was speaking at scottish labour conference eeegieaesegeéva.eeeeee ee e ee e e oui’s can away memory like ours can sweep away memory of defeat. but was a

of defeat. but there was a time, and it wasn't that long ago, when people said time, and it wasn't that long ago, wh