camp at the university in dallas — the latest escalation in demonstrations at schools in the us. israel reopens the erez crossing into northern gaza — allowing more humanitarian aid into the famine—threatened territory. and india's general election is under way, with more than 18 million new, first—time voters heading to the polls. let's return to our top story — and those protests across us university campuses. this is the scene live at the ucla campus in california, where students have been told to disperse by police or face arrest. more and more students are gathering to show their support, as demonstrations against the war in gaza continue at universities across the united states. meanwhile, riot police in the state of texas have broken up a similar protest camp, accusing the demonstrators of breaching trespass law. our correspondent, tom bateman, was at the university of texas in dallas, as the authorities moved

in — and gave us this update. free palestine! long live palestine! we have just received a notice. this red notice says that all tents and structures must be removed immediately. "failure to comply with this instruction may result in removal "for criminal trespass." ! free palestine! grid we are now being pushed back by the state troopers, forcing back the media and the protesters as they get closer and closer to this encampment. and they're going to go in. they've said they'll remove the tents. thery�*re now pushing us back into the trees next to the cops, shouting, "shame!"

as these troopers reach the barricades of this protest. shame on you! shame on you! well, the protesters are now being pulled away. the troopers have zip cuffs. and they're being removed. grid shame on you! well, this had been a peaceful protest. when we showed up there were around 12 tents, gazebos. very quickly behind the line, the administration handed out a notice telling them to go immediately. and you could see how it escalated

tensions as the state troopers moved in with sticks and batons out and forced these protesters out. under the threat of further arrests, the demonstrators decide to move on. the final remnants of the camp are removed. the university said you can't have encampments. the troopers came in riot gear. what effect does it have on the protest? what effect it's going to have? i'm going to tell you this much — it's going to have the opposite effect the administration and the state think it's going to have. because what we did right now is we showed the world, we showed the campus what the true colours of utd administration is, what the true colours of the state of texas is, and their true colours is that they are willing to violently arrest their own students. free our people, through them all! -- free _ free our people, through them all! -- free them — free our people, through them all! —— free them all. _ the protesters vowed to continue, but the state of texas

says their encampments won't be tolerated. the divisions of this war abroad are continuing to deliver themselves to a new american generation. tom bateman, bbc news, dallas. local elections are being held across england and wales today to select mayors, councillors and police and crime commissioners. there's also a by—election in blackpool south, following the resignation of the former conservative, scott benton. voters will have to show photo id to cast their ballot. polls opened at 7am and close at 10pm. let's speak to our political correspondent nick eardley. take us through what is happening today. take us through what is happening toda . ., ., ., ., , ., today. hello, samantha, millions of --eole in today. hello, samantha, millions of peeple in england — today. hello, samantha, millions of people in england and _ today. hello, samantha, millions of people in england and wales - today. hello, samantha, millions of people in england and wales will. people in england and wales will have the opportunity to vote and lots of different votes are going on so let me walk you some of the contest that are being decided today so personally, as you mentioned, blackpool self is getting a new mp and that by—election is happening today and that is the first one, the only by—election for an mp happening over the next few hours. ——

blackpool self mac. there are 11 regional mayors being decided today in different parts of the country as well. —— blackpool south. quite a lot of england will be choosing a regional mayor, including the capital, london, greater manchester, parts of the north—east as well, so a lot of contests going on for regional mayors and they actually have quite a lot of power over things like transport and planning so there is that. then the biggest test of opinion today is going to be the 2500 or so seats up for grabs in 100 councils in england and that is people who are going to control everything from the buses to other forms of transport to social care. also, if you're keeping track, there are 37 police and crime commissioner elections happening in england and wales today, so there is a lot going on and a big test of opinion across england and wales. as you say though, it is worth pointing out

that one of the big changes some people will be seeing today is the need for voter id, that is going to be required if you're turning up at a polling booth. {lila be required if you're turning up at a polling booth.— be required if you're turning up at a polling booth. 0k, thank you for the update. _ a polling booth. 0k, thank you for the update, nick. _ john swinney is expected to launch his campaign to become snp leader and scotland's first minister later — following humza yousaf�*s resignation. mr swinney led the party from 2000 to 2004 and has also served as deputy leader. he's already won the backing of colleagues but its unclear if the former finance secretary, kate forbes, will challenge him and launch her own bid. to india next, where the general election is under way. all this week, the bbc has been speaking to influential voting blocs. amongst them, more than 18 million new, first—time voters heading to the polls. for more on this, i'm joined from kerala by our south asia correspondent, samira hussain.

we have been speaking with voters in the state of carolina and another northern state, to get the sense of what the issues are for these voters but also if there are any differences between the two states. —— in kerala. this is really delicious. are you talking with your friends about the election? and what are you guys talking about? decrease in the constitutional rights of indian people. major issue facing this election is confusion to which party- i need to vote. this is my first vote, so i don't want to waste that vote | by giving it to a corrupted party. |

if we go to small villages, people have to _ if we go to small villages, people have to travel to get treatment. there _ have to travel to get treatment. there are — have to travel to get treatment. there are some kind of dictatorship going _ there are some kind of dictatorship going around — there are some kind of dictatorship going around in_ there are some kind of dictatorship going around in the _ there are some kind of dictatorship going around in the country. - there are some kind of dictatorship going around in the country. the i going around in the country. the promotion — going around in the country. the promotion of _ going around in the country. the promotion ofjust_ going around in the country. the promotion ofjust one _ going around in the country. the promotion ofjust one religion. l going around in the country. the - promotion ofjust one religion. does promotion of 'ust one religion. does an one promotion of 'ust one religion. does enoney else — promotion ofjust one religion. does anyone else feel— promotion ofjust one religion. does anyone else feel like _ promotion ofjust one religion. anyone else feel like that? promotion ofjust one religion. does anyone else feel like that? having l promotion ofjust one religion. does anyone else feel like that? having a j anyone else feel like that? having a clash between _ anyone else feel like that? having a clash between two _ anyone else feel like that? having a clash between two communities. it| clash between two communities. it will be messy. do, clash between two communities. it will be messy-— will be messy. a political party should not _ will be messy. a political party should not promote _ will be messy. a political party should not promote a - will be messy. a political party should not promote a political| should not promote a political community or religion. we should not promote a political community or religion. we should not aet community or religion. we should not get influenced — community or religion. we should not get influenced by _ community or religion. we should not get influenced by anyone _ community or religion. we should not get influenced by anyone else. - community or religion. we should not get influenced by anyone else. you i get influenced by anyone else. you need someone _ get influenced by anyone else. need someone who can unite get influenced by anyone else.” need someone who can unite india again. two things came out of those conversations. the pressure onjobs here and in terms of finding jobs

and employment. but the other unifying issue was really less idea of unity and being united and not having divisions, whether it be by caste or religion. and that is something that has been talked about. . ~' , ., something that has been talked about. . ,, y., something that has been talked about. . ,, . �*, .,~ about. thank you so much. let's take about. thank you so much. let's take a back to california. _ about. thank you so much. let's take a back to california. the _ about. thank you so much. let's take a back to california. the stand-off- a back to california. the stand—off between police and protesters at ucla, the campus there, going on for a number of others. the stand—off between police and protesters, appears to be intensifying as authorities prepare to clear out the encampment which was attacked the previous night by pro—israeli supporters. this is the seen live. the university has declared the daylong encampment is unlawful and hundreds of police half—mast on the campus. they have told pro—palestinian protesters to

disperse or face arrest. it is nearly 2am local time. and this is the situation right now which you see from the aerial shot, a huge amount of interest in the us and of course around the world as to what is happening on the campuses in the us which is spreading elsewhere, the pro—palestinian protests. earlier officers were accused by the california governor of being too slow to respond when counter protesters attacked the activists so we will keep an eye on what is happening in the us. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

a storage basin capable of holding the equivalent of 20 olympic—size swimming pools will be inaugurated this morning near the gare d'austerlitz in paris.

the basin, a colossal storage facility for waste and rainwater, will improve the quality of water in the seine, as part of efforts to clean up the river in time to host swimming events during the paris 0lympics injuly and august. this comes after the seine was found to contain levels of e.coli and enterococci bacteria that are dangerous for human health, putting it out of bounds for swimmers. let's speak now to dan angelescu, founder and ceo of fluidion, a water—intelligence company that has developed the technology to sample and measure water quality in real time. thank you for being with us and i believe you are working with the authorities in paris to monitor the water in the river seine so tell us about what you are doing and how it works. . ~ about what you are doing and how it works. ., ,, , ., ., ., , works. thank you, samantha, very nice to be — works. thank you, samantha, very nice to be here. _ works. thank you, samantha, very nice to be here. yes, _ works. thank you, samantha, very nice to be here. yes, we _ works. thank you, samantha, very nice to be here. yes, we have - nice to be here. yes, we have developed technology that has been used for the past six years by the city of paris and we are currently not working with the city of parasport monitoring the river seine

purchased the swimming areas in the saint martin canal and we are monitoring the river seine every day and we had a big data collection programme going on and we are currently measuring water quality every day at the olympic site which is near bridge of alexander iii. tellers about the work you do and the significance of it.— the significance of it. being able to net the significance of it. being able to get rapid _ the significance of it. being able to get rapid microbiology - the significance of it. being able to get rapid microbiology is - the significance of it. being able to get rapid microbiology is an l to get rapid microbiology is an essential feature will stop you want to get results if you can use the same day versus something that provides results which are only available 2a, 48 hours provides results which are only available 24, 48 hours later or maybe two weeks later, depending on the lab so we provide results which are quick so you can take action from that and we have been basically monitoring since 2017 the river seine for the city of paris and this year we are doing it as part of a citizen science programme and we

have one of the most complete datasets of water quality in the river seine ever recorded. pond datasets of water quality in the river seine ever recorded. and what are ou river seine ever recorded. and what are you finding? _ river seine ever recorded. and what are you finding? is _ river seine ever recorded. and what are you finding? is getting _ river seine ever recorded. and what are you finding? is getting cleaner l are you finding? is getting cleaner or dirtier? what is the flow of how bacteria and diseases work in water? the general trend is that when you have a lot of rain and a lot of river discharge, so, hi flow, generally that releases sewage in the river and in different places notjust in paris but also upstream of paris and it puts sediment in suspension so it means a lot of the bacteria that were in the sediment of the river are now up in the water so at this time of year, we find that water quality is not very good and this is consistent with what we have seen in previous years. the big question is, you know, once you approach the summer months where water quality generally improves and it sometimes improves a lot, where

whether it will improve sufficiently for this year's 0lympic whether it will improve sufficiently for this year's olympic games and the following events that are planned, opening the river seine for swimming in consecutive years and we don't have the answer to that question yet but today is a major day because the storage tank is finally opening and we will know exactly what the impact is on water quality so it is a pretty interesting opportunity to really check what is the impact of major infrastructure development. {lilia infrastructure development. 0k, really interesting to hear about the work you are doing at fluidion, dan angelescu. european champions, world cup finalists — just some of the remarkable achievements of england's lionesses in recent years. but what is the secret behind their success? our sports news correspondent, jo currie, spoke exclusively to team doctor ritan mehta to find out how an investment in female athlete health has helped them unlock that next level of performance. chloe kelly! the lionesses are leading the way on the pitch, but what's been the secret

to moments like this off it? well, a clue is in the bra. it's just one of the ways england and the fa are tackling the taboos of female health, led by this man, dr ritan mehta. i've been really surprised at how open players are, and as a male doctor in a female environment, i think i was probably more conscious than they were. talking about female health means talking periods. as elite athletes, england are always looking to find that 1%. but this is also about player care. that's why for the last four years, england have tracked their player cycles on an app. we try to understand each individual because it's not one size fits all. we had a player who had lots of nausea and we were trying to understand what was causing it, and was it due to the stomach or was it due to something else? and by them tracking it, they realised it was actually related to a time in their cycle. and without tracking it regularly, you're not... you know, it's hard to put

two and two together. but it's notjust about periods. attention is now also turning to players�* pelvic floors. it's the area of muscles that control the bladder and the bowels. some of the research that was done in the professional game is that about 20% of players are affected. so it's a huge number. and you hear the anecdotal comments from players about leaking or some issues. and it's an area we've felt over the last year that we need to do more in. talking about your pelvic floor may be uncomfortable or even embarrassing, but the lionesses are teaching their players that understanding all areas of their body is vital to getting the most out of it. pelvic health's linked to menstrual cycle. those are things to be aware of that just the same way you see a psychologist, you see a physio, you do strength training, there are elements of that that can help your game. for example, i have had a really bad back injury and that definitely affects my pelvic floor when i'm playing and when i'm just resting as well. the awareness of, "is my pelvic floor contracted, is it not?" there's some movements in the gym that i don't feel

comfortable doing with my back, but actually when i link it to my pelvic floor and i start breathing correctly, the pain goes away. while i'm playing football, it'll be massively important, but also when i retire, it will continue to be important for as long as i live. lionesses now also undergo bra fittings, something many of them hadn't experienced before. their approach to female health means they're building a legacy that benefits all women. i think we've got a job as a national governing body and i guess an elite senior team, to ensure the learnings we have, or the learnings we've made over the last few years, that we can share that to the wider population. there's obviously things that we'll keep to ourselves because that's important from a competitive perspective, but most of this is about general health and wellbeing. and it's important that we play our role in imparting any information we learn to the wider community because it will help everyone improve. we will just take you we willjust take you back briefly to the united states and the campus at the university of california

where there is this ongoing stand—off between hundreds of police officers who have massed on the campus and told pro—palestinian protesters to disperse or face arrest. the university there is declared this day is long and camp and is there to be unlawful but huge crowds of students have gathered outside the camp in solidarity with the pro—palestinian group. —— this days long encampment. we have large amounts of police piecing off with these protesters and they were earlier accused of being too slow to respond when pro israel protesters attacked the activists and there are many saying they are anti—semitic posters and chance and it is impossible for them to get through. you are watching bbc news. —— posters and chants. 15—year—old alfie lost his dad to suicide when he was just

eight—years—old and set up a support service for other bereaved young people and their families. alfie's squad has been inundated with requests from across the uk, so alfie and his mum are now raising money for an online support group by doing a shark dive. abi smitton reports. i'm feeling a bit nervous, but i feel like it's going to be really fun. how are you feeling? scared. nervous but excited. can't wait to do it. excited? excited. yeah? nervous? no. you're not nervous at all? no. don't go in the water — it's what the film jaws taught us. but the children from alfie's squad aren't likely to back down from a challenge. look how small this one is. we met alfie earlier this year when we visited his weekly youth club. he set it up to help other children like him who've been bereaved

by suicide. when suicide's such a specific issue and it feels so isolated and so personal. because when i first lost my dad, i couldn't help but blame myself for it. it's a very isolating experience. every week, the children try new things — drumming, painting, sports. frank and gill — and their mum, vicky — have been there since day one back in august. when we started going, we were still at the phase where, like, every few nights, one or the other of the boys would have big breakdowns, coming out with things that just, you know, are heartbreaking to hear and they've really listened. they're very few and far between nowadays and i think it is because they've sort of had all these activities to look forward to and they've made friends and they're genuinely excited to go. so yeah, it's helped massively. since then, alfie's mum, alison, has been inundated with calls for help from across the country. they're now set to launch an online

group while they try to raise more money to open up outside of liverpool. that's where the sharks come in. so, to try the mask on, we're going to hold it against you and ask you to breathe in with your nose and it should stick to you, and that means that it fits nicely. hey, guys, bear grylls here. just wanted to say to all of you in alfie's squad, first of all, respect for all you've been doing. i've heard so many amazing things, and i really hope you have a wonderful day at the bear grylls adventure with your shark dive. you're going to love this. it's an experience like no other. can't wait to see the photos, hear the stories. god bless. training complete, its time to meet the sharks.

he's been looking forward to it for ages, so i'm sure he's having a good time and it's good that he's with his friends as well. that's probably the best thing for him, that he's in there with everyone else from the group. are you proud of him? very proud. i'm proud that he's gone ahead with it after all the planning we've done. so, it's a once in a lifetime experience. this is definitely up there with something no one else has done. it was quite hard to walk, but it was really fun because all the sharks and fish were circling around me. it was brilliant, really good. i'd definitely do it again. back on land, and the adrenaline is wearing off. really cold. i'm just really cold — but i enjoyed it. it's warmer out here. apparently it's 24 degrees i in there but i don't believe it.

it's great that we've - done it and we've raised loads of money doing so. enjoyed it. great, yeah. it feels weird walking, though. the money raised from the shark dive will go to fund alfie's squad sessions in merseyside and beyond. it's very important because it isn't just like a fun place where you get to do stuff that you want to do. it's with people who know exactly how you feel. it's for, like, children and adults. it'sjust raised a lot of awareness for our squad. and obviously our squad is very, very close to our hearts. that's going to be accessible from all across the country. i people canjustjoin - in on the tuesday night. i being able to help other people, | not just from the merseyside area but beyond, it's going to be massive for me and everyone involved. - fears conquered, thousands of pounds raised — all in a day's work abi smitton, bbc news.

now it's time for a look at the weather with carol kirkwood. hello again. we have had thousands of thunderstorms across parts of southern england and south wales this morning, they are easing up but even into the afternoon we still could catch one or two sharp showers across the south. the mist and murk across central and eastern parts of the country pushing towards the north sea, the lion's share of the sunshine in scotland and northern ireland with some showers in northern ireland. the highest temperature is 22 degrees in scotland and east anglia, 21 in liverpool, feeling cooler along the north sea coastline with the on—shore flow. through this evening and overnight the weather front producing thunder is with us, basically weaving north and south. further north, clearer skies but more mist and low cloud coming from the north sea across central and eastern areas but no issues with frost tonight. heading into tomorrow, this is the weather front. eventually it will move northwards

during the course of friday, taking its cloud and also its thundery downpours with it. you see the progress it makes, fairly cloudy across england and wales, and the thundery downpours move northwards, clipping eastern scotland, not all of us will hear the odd rumble of thunder and the lion's share of the sunshine in the north—west and it should brighten up in the south. top temperatures in the sunshine, 21 degrees in western scotland, cooler again along the north sea coastline. on saturday, still a fair bit of cloud, still producing some patchy light rain across the northern half of the country, something drier in the south until later when we see rain coming in across the far south—west. temperatures down a touch but still western scotland could see 18 degrees. on sunday, this is what is bringing in the rain across the south. it's an area of low pressure

with attendant fronts, not much in the way of wind so we start with cloud and patchy rain across parts of scotland. a lot of dry weather, but as that low pressure coming in, bringing more rain across southern counties of england, extending potentially into wales. temperatures 11—17 north to south.

live from london. this is bbc news. this is the scene live at ucla at 2am in the morning where an increasingly dramatic standoff between police and pro—palestinian protesters is taking place.

i protesters is taking place. am on the campus and t have i am on the campus and the police have breached the perimeter of the encampment and more are poised to go in. a special bbc investigation has uncovered new evidence about the killing of two boys by the israeli army. us pop star 0livia rodrigo is forced to postpone some uk shows of her world tour because of issues at manchester's delay—ridden co—op live arena. and the face of a 75,000—year—old neanderthal woman revealed — scientists at cambridge university recreate a 3d model from a crushed skull discovered in kurdistan. hello, i'm samantha simmonds. we start in the us where pro—palestinian protestors in an encampment at the ucla campus in california have been told to disperse by police or face arrest. these are live pictures outside the camp, where it's nowjust

after 2am local time.