hello, i'm lauren taylor. we start in the middle east, where nine people, including at least four children, have reportedly been killed after israeli strikes hit homes in rafah in the southern gaza strip. israeli planes and tanks pounded various parts of the territory overnight. the israeli war cabinet has been planning a large offensive against hamas in rafah, which is where an estimated 1.5 million displaced palestinians are sheltering. the us and other allies have warned israel against a full—scale assault on the city. unrwa is running the risk of diseases rising. the effect of six months of war has created a desperate humanitarian crisis in gaza. but amid the ruins of conflict, in some areas, aid is now getting through and can make the difference between surviving or dying of hunger.

a flour delivery, organised by the world food programme, allowed this bakery in gaza city to reopen for the first time since the war began. translation: finally, i there is something to eat. you can go to the bakery and buy bread. just a few days ago, it was hard, we were looking for wood, flour, and you couldn't find anything to feed the children. but for most gazans, the brutal reality of war is a constant companion. at the hospital in rafah, parents and siblings consoled each other after several civilians, including children, were reported killed in overnight air strikes. israel said fighterjets and other aircraft struck dozens of terror sites. among the targets, it said, was military infrastructure, compounds and armed terrorists. the us has repeatedly urged israel not to launch what is expected to be a major offensive in rafah. we cannot support a major military operation in rafah.

we believe that a major military operation, with a large presence of a civilian population, would have terrible consequences for that population. words that seem to have little impact on benjamin netanyahu. he has repeatedly said the offensive in rafah must happen, if hamas is to be defeated and israeli hostages released. for most gazans, survival is still a daily struggle. retrieving food parcels from the sea — after an air drop — shows how chaotic the delivery of aid often is, as agencies warn of a worsening humanitarian crisis. wyre davies, bbc news, jerusalem. let's speak to hanya aljamal who is in rafah working with international ngo global empowerment mission. thank you for being with us. can you tell us what happened overnight. you have any information what happened

because yellow it was in the area where i reside right now, which is the west side of rafah. the shelling started to come _ the west side of rafah. the shelling started to come down _ the west side of rafah. the shelling started to come down around - the west side of rafah. the shelling started to come down around night| started to come down around night time so that was unsettling. a lot of people... initially there were two women who were retrieved from the women and then there was more. it was very distressing,... i was very anxious because it was fairly near to where we lived. to gain that is something that happens more often than we would like to admit it. from what we understand, _ than we would like to admit it. from what we understand, this _ than we would like to admit it. from what we understand, this isn't the start of the big assault that israel has said it is planning, and that the west, or many of allies, have

said it does wanted to carry out, and as we understand it so far, and individual strike. and as we understand it so far, and individualstrike. how and as we understand it so far, and individual strike. how do people feel generally, having that prospect hanging over them because yellow actually gets the most disturbing situation we have ever been through. this is not the first time people were ushered to another location. there were people going to rafah and a lot of people, most of the population has been internally displaced for a five time so far, and now they are in the last resort. rafah is the last place they are in. it is very near to the egyptian border so there is really nowhere to go now. the nuance of the situation

— literally there is nowhere to go. a lot of people are anticipating getting lifted to egypt and they have already applied to egypt and they are waiting for the name to be listed. currently because if anything happened, from previous experiences, that has been a way of fragmenting the strip into smaller units. they will be trapped in the middle. the other thing is that the shellings in the attack on the middle areas, has not stopped and they are more brutal. people can't go to the south, obviously, can't go to the north. obviously they are not allowed back so it is very weird kind of mental situation where people are in this fight or flight response. everyone is hypervigilant.

sorry to interrupt, ijust response. everyone is hypervigilant. sorry to interrupt, i just want to ask you whether the flow of aid has improved in the last few days? it has. to clarify, it did increase a little bit to the northern area, but it is not to that we need. but it has improved. so people are eating bread and they are having a local bread and they are having a local bread made with food made for humans. that shouldn't be something we are celebrating but we are. yes it has improved but it is not halfway there yet.— it has improved but it is not halfway there yet. hanya al'amal, thank ou halfway there yet. hanya al'amal, thank you mi halfway there yet. hanya al'amal, thank you for taking * halfway there yet. hanya al'amal, thank you for taking the h halfway there yet. hanya aljamal, thank you for taking the time - halfway there yet. hanya aljamal, thank you for taking the time to l thank you for taking the time to join us. iran's foreign minister has downplayed israel's involvement in the recent attack on his country

describing the weapons used as more like children's toys, rather than drones. hossein amir—abdollahian made the comments in an interview with us media. he said israeli micro—drones used in the operation had caused no deaths or damage, and dismissed it as a "desperate attempt" by israel to "make a victory out of their repeated defeats". he said iran would respond at the �*maximum level�* if israel acts against its interests. tehran�*s muted response to friday morning's events has raised hopes that tensions between the countries can be dampened, and a wider escalation averted. a base used by pro—iranian militias in iraq has been damaged by a large explosion, a day after israel's presumed strike on iran. one person was killed and eight others injured in the blast and intense fire at the kalso military base, south of the capital baghdad. this footage from the scene shows the aftermath of the explosion, which iraqi security sources have described as a "bombing" which hit weapons and vehicles. the base is used by the popular mobilization forces — an umbrella organisation linking several pro—iran militias who've recently attacked us personnel in iraq. the pentagon says it has not carried

out any new strike in iraq. after months of delay, the us house of representatives is due to vote on tens of billions of dollars in us military aid for israel — and for ukraine to help it fight off the russian invasion. both measures have vocal opponents in congress, and their hopes of passage have hinged on a fragile bipartisan coalition to overcome legislative hurdles. the debate is under way, with the republican speaker mike johnson allowing a vote to take place later on saturday. let's speak to our north america correspondent will vernon. tell us about the aid that will go to ukraine in the end, if this all goes through?— to ukraine in the end, if this all goes through? ukraine eight bill is 'ust one of goes through? ukraine eight bill is just one of several _ goes through? ukraine eight bill is just one of several packages. - goes through? ukraine eight bill is just one of several packages. they j just one of several packages. they started their life as one bill, but they have been separated off into a number of separate pieces of legislation, basically to make it easier to get through congress. as well as ukraine there are also bills

for the indo—pacific region, for taiwan, basically, and for israel. of course the most important part of this is ukraine aid. $61 billion is desperately needed, assistance to the ukrainians. that includes artillery rounds, air defence systems, and also funds to replenish depleted us military stockpiles that have been emptied out because so much of this kit has been sent off to ukraine. so the chances of this bill passing are pretty good. it cleared two very important procedural votes on thursday and friday. there was cross—party support for this bill, which is incredibly unusual. democrats in the house voted with the republican speaker, mikejohnson, in orderto get this bill to the floor of the house. that is very unusual and i think that shows the significance of this piece of legislation. many people here are calling it a critical turning point in history. congressmen and women have been urged to put their party differences

aside and do the right thing for the ukrainians, because this is a key us ally, a critical partner in the region fighting off this russian invasion. this will be a crucial moment in congress a little bit later today. it moment in congress a little bit later today-— later today. it wasn't 'ust the ukrainian * later today. it wasn't 'ust the ukrainian aid * later today. it wasn't 'ust the ukrainian aid that h later today. it wasn't just the ukrainian aid that was - later today. it wasn't just the ukrainian aid that was held i later today. it wasn't just the i ukrainian aid that was held up. there has also been aid for israel that should now pass as well. that was controversial in itself, wasn't it? , , , ., �* was controversial in itself, wasn't it? , , �* ”~ ~ it? yes, this israel bill, $26 billion, a _ it? yes, this israel bill, $26 billion, a little _ it? yes, this israel bill, $26 billion, a little bit— it? yes, this israel bill, $26 billion, a little bit more - it? yes, this israel bill, szs| billion, a little bit more than that, of aid for israel. that is also controversial because many democrats are incredibly unhappy with the fact that this aid doesn't come with any conditions attached. many of those democrats are unhappy with the way the israelis are conducting the war in gaza, and they think that america should withhold some aid until israel takes concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation in gaza. so we are

expecting some democrats to vote, no, to that bill. it has been difficult at the moment to work out how many of them there will be, whether there will be a significant number or not, but that bill is expected to pass because the vast majority of republicans will support it, and of course they have the majority in the house of representatives.- majority in the house of representatives. majority in the house of re-resentatives. ~ ., ., ,, representatives. will vernon, thank ou ve representatives. will vernon, thank you very much _ representatives. will vernon, thank you very much indeed. _ as we've been hearing the package includes munitions and air defence missiles desperately needed by ukraine. the vote is being closely watched in kyiv, where some officials have expressed cautious optimism that it will pass. it comes as a russian official says a ukrainian drone strike has killed two people inlcuding a pregnant woman in the belgorod region, which borders ukraine. the governor says a residential building and a barn in the village of poroz were completely burned down. the governor of smolensk, just north of the belgorod region, says a ukrainian drone hit a fuel depot there overnight, setting it on fire. let's speak to our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse in kyiv. how closely our events in the us

being watched in ukraine? relatively closel , i being watched in ukraine? relatively closely. i would _ being watched in ukraine? relatively closely, i would say. _ being watched in ukraine? relatively closely, i would say. it— being watched in ukraine? relatively closely, i would say. it is— closely, i would say. it is interesting how the tide has changed, when you speak to people, when certainly online ukrainians viewed the republican speaker mike johnson in a very dim light, seeing him as this main obstacle to much needed help. i don't think people will be staying up tonight watching it, watching the votes on tv, as well as the debate, because there are more pressing matters at hand. but what's interesting is how the rhetoric has changed this week, where you have seen mikejohnson talk about the importance of helping ukraine and defeating vladimir putin, and i think that will be welcomed. president zelensky has said that the question of american support for ukraine has gone on too long and it is his view, and the view of william burns, the head of the cia, that without this american

help, ukraine will lose this war. so you could say this vote is about ukraine's future. and that view has been reinforced by europe's inability to plug the gap left by europe over the recent months, because of its political delay in washington. as well as russia's capitalising on it as well. it seized the eastern town and has taken hundreds of square kilometres more of ukrainian territory. it is on the outskirts of another town in the east so that is much more concerning folk key. this is welcome news. this american equipment could arrive quickly but it is not the silver bullet it was once seen as that would allow ukraine to win. it is simply about keeping ukraine in this fight. to is simply about keeping ukraine in this finht. ., ., ~' is simply about keeping ukraine in this finht. ., . ~ , ., , this fight. to talk us through is the latest movements - this fight. to talk us through is the latest movements in - this fight. to talk us through is j the latest movements in terms this fight. to talk us through is i the latest movements in terms of drone strikes that have come from ukraine to russia. it is drone strikes that have come from ukraine to russia.— ukraine to russia. it is a continuation _ ukraine to russia. it is a

continuation of - ukraine to russia. it is a continuation of ukraine i ukraine to russia. it is a - continuation of ukraine using ukraine to russia. it is a _ continuation of ukraine using small, unmanned drones packed with explosives, that they manufacture in ukraine. they are continuing to launch them into russia itself, despite the hesitancy or nervousness from its western allies over those enduring fears of this war escalating and spilling out of ukraine's borders. but we heard from security sources, who have proudly said, look, we have launched drones into eight russian regions, and once again, they are looking to target russian energy infrastructure as russian energy infrastructure as russia is with ukraine. we are seeing this tit—for—tat, although not by any stretch on the same scale. and the reason why some in the west are nervous about the strategy is that we talked about the escalation part, it would also drive up escalation part, it would also drive up fuel prices. so despite this, it is clear ukraine is shutting out that noise and continuing to try and frustrate russian supply lines in their words. they are saying, we are

hitting these areas to try to limit its ability to feel those tanks and aircraft and those of the armoured vehicles in the continued invasion of ukraine. i think this is something ukraine will be keen to talk up against a backdrop of minimal successes in recent weeks. james waterhouse, thank you much indeed. now it's time for a look at today's sport. an action packed day — we start at the women's six nations — and england are in the lead against ireland, in the first of the weekend's matches. england chasing a third grand slam in a row... that's at twickenham — 38—3 at half time to england... just starting the second half. scotland face italy later — they've fallen down the table after two losses in a row. jo currie spoke to me from twickenham about that game in parma to come. scotland's six nations campaign so far has been a mixed bag. it started with that wonderful opening day victory over wales in cardiff. they followed it up with a battling performance against france,

albeit ending in defeat. they went into that game against england last week full of confidence can only to walk away on the end of a 16—0 defeat. they know they need to show improvement today. they have got a point to prove against italy, a team who also only have one win this year. they know they can target points. the snooker world championship is under way. defending champion luca brecel is three frames from victory, in his opening match at the crucible. the belgian is facing england's david gilbert, and holds the advantage — six frames to three up after the first session — first to nine frames wins in the first round. the pair resume in their final session later on. brecel with the momentum, taking keeping his three frame advantage before the break. and one of the main challengers this year, judd trump, has got his world championship going — he's facing hossein vafaei at the moment. he has two frames up in that match. england's trump very much one of the form players this season, with five ranking titles so far this year, as he chases

a second world title here. a superb result for chelsea, in the first leg of their women's champions league semifinal — they beat the holders barcelona, in spain, to take the advantage ahead of next week's return leg. scotland international erin cuthbert scored the winner, firing past goalkeeper catalina coll in the first half. barca missed a superb chance to equalise — alexia putellas putting it wide from a few yards out... so chelsea hold on for the win — the first time in 5 years that barca have lost a competitive fixture at home. manchester city will be looking put their disappointment of champions league defeat behind them later, when they face chelsea in the first of this weekend's fa cup semi—finals. they can still win a double this year. city lifted the fa cup last season — along with the league, and champions league titles. erling haaland and kevin de bruyne are doubts for the game at wembley later. plus city will be up against one of their former players, cole palmer, who's having a sensational season for chelsea.

i said many times maybe i didn't give the minutes he deserved. he wanted the minutes. and now he has at chelsea. i am happy for him. he is a lovely guy, a shy guy. he has incredible potential. otherwise he would not be here. three premier league matches to tell you about today — with arsenal able to regain the lead, at the top of the table, with city and liverpool not in league action on saturday. (full frame gfx)before that - it's a battle at the bottom — as luton take on brentford — as they hope to move out 0—0 from there. and sheffield united, at the foot of the table, hope to close the gap to burnley in 19th... not long gone in those games. arsenal have a tricky game to come at molyneux, in the evening kick off. after winning the morning's sprint race at the chinese grand prix the world champion qualified fastest for sunday's main race ahead of sergio perez and fernando alonso. lewis hamilton,

who was second in the sprint, was then knocked out of the first session of qualifying... and will start 18th out of 20 on the grid in shanghai. and that's all the sport for now. we will be back with more later. thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across the canary islands, calling for a rethink of what they say is an �*unsustainable tourism�* model, which draws millions of visitors to the spanish archipelago every year. the protests — held under the banner �*the canaries have a limit�* — have gained support from major environmental groups such as greenpeace and friends of the earth. 11 protesters have been on hunger strike for over a week in protest at the construction of two luxury developments on tenerife. let�*s hear the views of some of those on the streets. translation: our resources and our population can't take any more. - the conditions of our environment continued to deteriorate and the precariousness of our residents as well. so we are saying enough is enough. the canary islands are running out and we have to change.

translation: we are constantly i seeing how different protected areas of the canary islands are literally being trampled on and we have to invest much more resources in taking care of the most precious thing we have, controlling the natural areas and watching over them. translation: we are asking for a change in the model- of unlimited tourism growth. we are not against tourism. we are against a model that has led | us to the deterioration of our land, | of our people, because the profits and growth of tourism are not - reflected in society. let�*s speak now to clio o�*flynn, freelance journalist living in adeje, on tenerife. tell us what the key issues are driving these protests against mass tourism. i driving these protests against mass tourism. ~ ., , , , ., ~ tourism. i think the last speaker that ou tourism. i think the last speaker that you had _ tourism. i think the last speaker that you had on _ tourism. i think the last speaker that you had on just _ tourism. i think the last speaker that you had on just they're - that you had on just they�*re actually underlined what the main point is. the tourism model needs to change. that is what the protesters are saying. in fact they are just saying to us now, the government

said 32,000 people have taken part in the protest, a lot more than i think people expected. this was planned a couple of weeks ago. one of the main thing is they are also stressing as they are not against tourists, and some of the international headlines might have led people to believe that local businesses don�*t want tourism any more, but the model is, way tourism profits are reinvested, that needs to change and it needs to benefit the local economy and the local eco structure more. 50 the local economy and the local eco structure more.— structure more. so is it about reinvestment _ structure more. so is it about reinvestment or _ structure more. so is it about reinvestment or limiting - structure more. so is it about - reinvestment or limiting numbers? is that the problem because make the scale of the way the money is reinvested? i scale of the way the money is reinvested?— scale of the way the money is reinvested? ~ , ., , reinvested? i think it is a number of thins. reinvested? i think it is a number of things. certainly _ reinvested? i think it is a number of things. certainly some - reinvested? i think it is a number of things. certainly some of- reinvested? i think it is a number of things. certainly some of the l of things. certainly some of the groups that would have organised today�*s protests, across all of the canary islands, would be calling for a limit on numbers because they feel the canaries have been oversold. they are kind of saying that the

current model is out of date and some of them are saying, let�*s take a step back and let�*s have a moratorium, a temporary one, on say building any more hotels or resort areas, because the amount of tourists here has got to the point where there is very little wiggle room, wiggle room in terms of the land that is available for building and little wiggle room in terms of the land that�*s available for housing for people who work here, which is one of the primary problem is, that in tourist areas, because of high rents and people buying second holiday homes, a lot of workers here, who service the tourist industry itself, can�*t actually live near their work and have to travel many hours to get to and from work. so perhaps a limit on tourist numbers, there is also talk of a tourism tax, but how that would be invested is also hugely important issue that any money garnered from a tourism tax would need to go into perhaps building houses for the workers in the tourist resort areas. but i think what the protesters

today saying is to pause. take a step back. let�*s reimagine how the canary islands is and offer both the people living here and the people who want to visit us. we need to continue to have tourists that perhaps we want tourists who would stay longer or spend more money, and appreciate more what the island has to offer. just appreciate more what the island has to offer. , , , , ., appreciate more what the island has tooffer. , , , ., to offer. just briefly how quickly can they make _ to offer. just briefly how quickly can they make these _ to offer. just briefly how quickly can they make these changes i to offer. just briefly how quickly can they make these changes if| to offer. just briefly how quickly - can they make these changes if there is the political will to do so? that is the political will to do so? that is a very good _ is the political will to do so? twat is a very good question. already a couple of different municipalities have requested what is stressed zone. if the government were to give them that they would then have a three year period in which they could limit rent rises and also open up could limit rent rises and also open up new spaces for public housing buildings. that could happen very quickly but quickly in political terms means a couple of years, it doesn�*t mean overnight. some people today would like an overnight change but that is not going to happen. thank you very much for talking to

us. a chess master has broken the record for the longest marathon of the game ever played. tunde onakoya, who is from nigeria, played for 58 consecutive hours in new york�*s times square. he is trying to raise1 million dollars for charity to support chess education for children — and was cheered on by supporters from the city�*s nigerian community. i can�*t process a lot of the emotions i feel right now, i don�*t have the right words for them, but i know we did something truly remarkable. i mean, in documented human history, no—one has ever played chess for this long, you know, 56 hours nonstop, and we just broke that record, and i think we can keep going for a few more maybe minutes or hours, so the next person finds it extremely difficult to break the new record as well.

the world�*s largest digital astronomy camera has finally been built. with a whopping 3,200 megapixels, the camera can produce a thousand images per night. it�*ll allow scientists to study dark energy, dark matter, and the distribution of galaxies. it�*ll now be sent from the united states to chile, where it�*ll arrive in a month. the public will see its first images in 2025. hello. quite a chill in the air earlier on, but at least that sun�*s quite strong. talking about cold weather, this is what we call the anomaly map across europe. where it�*s blue, temperatures are below the average for the time of the year and you can see across many countries, it�*s been colder than what we would expect in april. in fact, across some northern parts of europe, we have had snow. here�*s helsinki today — three degrees, flurries of snow. central parts of europe not even making double figures. and we are feeling that chill as we see colder air arriving from the north.

but at least it�*s high pressure, so that does mean that the weather�*s quiet, so a lot of welcome dry weather. here�*s the satellite picture. clouds have been building through the course of the morning and into the afternoon. some areas are still quite sunny, other areas have turned a little more overcast. temperatures i think best in the west, possibly 15 in northern ireland. but on the north sea coast, we�*ve a chilly breeze, it�*s only around 9 or 10. now, temperatures may be on the down, but the pollen levels are on the up. moderate widely across some central and eastern parts of the uk and even high in the south west. now, through tonight, variable amounts of cloud. it will turn damp for a time in scotland, particularly northern and central areas. i don�*t think this coming night will be quite as cold as last night, but still in some spots, temperatures could drop close to freezing early in the morning, given clearer skies overnight. variable amounts of cloud tomorrow, there will be some sunshine, for sure. i think further south, that�*s where the best of the sun will be, but some areas may be stuck underneath the cloud.

now, interestingly, it is actually going to be a relatively warm day across western parts of northern ireland again, 18 degrees. but closer to the north sea coast in that breeze, maybe not even making 10 celsius. now, into monday, well, high pressure�*s still with us, but a weather front caught on that eastern edge of the high pressure means thick cloud across much of the uk. little dribs and drabs of rain. i don�*t think it�*s going to feel particularly pleasant, again, the further east you are. 10 degrees in hull. out towards the west, in belfast, around 1a celsius. is it going to warm up? well, not significantly so in the days ahead. in fact, if we look at the outlook for the week, it is going to stay generally on the chilly side with a little rain now and then.

this is bbc news. the headlines... nine people are reported to have been killed in israeli strikes on homes in southern gaza, including four children. it comes as the un agency for palestinian refugees warns that the risk of disease is rising there. ukraine hopes for more air defence systems in the war against russia, as us lawmakers prepare to vote on a long—delayed military aid package. thousands of people take to the streets of the canary islands in protest against what they say are unsustainable levels of mass tourism. they say it�*s damaging the

environment and harming residents. the head of a uk government watchdog has told the bbc that rishi sunak has "set us back" on climate change. chris stark says the pm has left the uk at risk of falling behind other countries. here in the uk, the head of the government watchdog, i beg your pardon, we are going to talk about elections instead. in exactly two weeks time, we�*ll be raking over the results of the local and mayoral elections in england, and the police and crime about the coming general election. there are 11 mayoral contests taking place from london to liverpool and beyond. tees valley is currently held by a conservative mayor, but the result there is likely to be significant for the two men vying to be prime minister.

newsnight�*s nicholas watt reports from tees valley.