working in oman are being abused by their employers. the tiny critters posing a threat to australian wildlife — why the country's senate is tackling fire ants. and an artwork that's appeared on the side of a building in north london prompts speculation it could be by the world famous graffiti artist, banksy. hello, i'm azadeh moshiri, welcome to the programme. we begin in russia, where vladimir putin has vowed to strengthen the armed forces and prioritise what he calls, russia's special military operation in ukraine. he was speaking after a presidential election that was tightly—controlled by the kremlin. it delivered him more than 87 percent of the vote, and mr putin said the result had demonstrated people's trust, demonstrated people's trust in russia's current path. he said when russians were united, no—one could

intimidate or suppress them. as our russia editor steve rosenberg reports, in arare move mr putin also mentioned the opposition figure, alexei navalny, by name. six more years in the kremlin. russia's president is sounding more confident than ever.— confident than ever. whoever might want to intimidate _ confident than ever. whoever might want to intimidate us, _ confident than ever. whoever might want to intimidate us, suppress - confident than ever. whoever might want to intimidate us, suppress us, | want to intimidate us, suppress us, our will_ want to intimidate us, suppress us, our will and — want to intimidate us, suppress us, ourwilland our want to intimidate us, suppress us, our will and our conscience, they have _ our will and our conscience, they have never— our will and our conscience, they have never been able to do it and never_ have never been able to do it and never wilt — then, mr putin's first public comments on the death ofjailed opposition leader alexei navalny. translation: you may be surprised, but a few days before mr navalny - died, some colleagues of mine told me there was an idea to exchange him for certain people in prison in the west. you can believe it or not. i said, "i agree," even before he had finished talking.

but what happened happened. election results on russian tv, not a hold your breath moment. "the winner, by a mile and a half, vladimir putin." "what an incredible level of support and unity around the figure of putin," he says. "and a powerful signal to the west." but in this race, vladimir putin was, from the start, unbeatable. there were other candidates but no serious challenger. potential rivals here are swiftly removed from the political stage, forced into exile or put in jail. and elections, tightly controlled by the kremlin. but if they couldn't win, mr putin's opponents could at least protest. and they did, in many parts of russia. opposition figures had called

on russians to flood polling stations at midday, to vote against putin, or spoil their ballots, a symbolic protest against the system. we were here. i've never seen queues like this before at a russian polling station. before his death in prison, alexei navalny had backed the protests. it took courage to come. the authorities had warned that large crowds at noon would be viewed as illegal gatherings. ivan, not his real name, told me why he had come. it was important for me to see the faces of other people who would come here today, and to see that i'm not alone in my political views and that there are a lot of muscovites and other people who believe that russia can be another country, with another future. for now, there'll be no change in the kremlin.

this election was never about would vladimir putin win or wouldn't he? elections here are designed to ensure he wins, and wins big. from the outset, for the kremlin, this vote was about creating the impression that mr putin has a mandate from his people, not only for war in ukraine, but also for what he's doing at home, transforming russia into an increasingly militaristic society, in confrontation with the west. but across town, muscovites continue to pay tribute to alexei navalny, the man who had wanted to be russia's president. here, a ballot paper. in place of putin's name, navalny�*s. and this message — "he's the candidate we wanted." steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. oleksandra matviichuk, is head of the center for civil liberties in ukraine — and spoke to me earlier. she told me what she thought of putin's victory speech.

it was a very suitable moment for putin to attack ukraine again. our international partners promised to be with us as long as it takes, but it is not secret that military support to ukraine, in the united states it is blocked, and other partners can't help us with artillery shells and ammunition and now we have a lack of weapons for the current moment. it is a brilliant time to attack and to occupy more territories. it is a genocidal war for us, it's a war about our existence. we have no other choice. we will fight because if we stop fighting, there will be no more us. with me is vitaly shevchenko, the russia editor at bbc monitoring. i first just want to read i firstjust want to read something that has come through from china. it is the president sent a message to congratulate vladimir putin on his three election, that is recorded by state media. what is a reaction

around the world?— around the world? putin is also received congratulations - around the world? putin is also received congratulations from i around the world? putin is also i received congratulations from iran and north korea and within russia state television is obviously celebrating what it calls unprecedented numbers of people who voted for vladimir putin, people who turned out to vote and the reality is we can't really check those numbers because the electoral system in russia is absolutely tightly controlled by the kremlin and there is something that happened this morning that gives us an idea of how the electoral exercise work. one of the electoral exercise work. one of the other three candidates on the ballot representing a nationalist party, he said he was happy for vladimir putin to win. he said he knew this was going to happen and it was victory. but among the people who don't support vladimir putin's

policies, there is a completely different mood. an independent outlet operating from abroad now, you publish an article this morning speaking of helplessness, hopelessness and isolation among the people who oppose vladimir putin and his policies, so this is a kind of russia we are seeing right now. there is of course the late opposition figure alexei navalny who is a spectre of this election, and vladimir putin mentioned him by name. how unusual was that for vladimir putin?— name. how unusual was that for vladimir putin? very unusual, the first time it _ vladimir putin? very unusual, the first time it happened _ vladimir putin? very unusual, the first time it happened and - vladimir putin? very unusual, the first time it happened and it - vladimir putin? very unusual, the| first time it happened and it makes you wonder about the psychology of power in russia because vladimir putin only altered the name of his most vocal and popular rival after he died. perhaps it shows how

confident putin is, how emboldened he is and how determined he is to continue what he has been doing for more than 20 years now. used continue what he has been doing for more than 20 years now.— more than 20 years now. used the word emboldened, _ more than 20 years now. used the word emboldened, and _ more than 20 years now. used the word emboldened, and he - more than 20 years now. used the word emboldened, and he has- more than 20 years now. used the . word emboldened, and he has spoken about ukraine following this election result. how does ukraine factor into this election? it election result. how does ukraine factor into this election?— factor into this election? it was central to _ factor into this election? it was central to vladimir _ factor into this election? it was central to vladimir putin's - central to vladimir putin's platform. he kept talking about how russia is fighting for its survival, how it is surrounded by enemies. the idea that russia needs to wage what vladimir putin called a special military operation, it was a cornerstone of his platform, it reinforces a feeling of besieged fortress and of course it also is a distraction from whatever domestic problems russians might face at home. ., ~ problems russians might face at home. ., ,, ,, problems russians might face at home. ., ,, i. problems russians might face at home. ., ,, . ., problems russians might face at home. ., . ., home. thank you so much for your time. let's look at the middle east now — and our correspondent anna foster is in eastjerusalem, over to you, anna.

a lot of focuses on the al—shifa hospital in gaza because forces launched a fresh greek fresh raid there overnight. many displaced people are still living on the grounds of al—shifa, reporting the sounds of heavy exchanges of gunfire overnight and in the early hours of this morning. israel says they have received information that hamas had it isn't the first israeli raid on the hospital. they said hamas regrouped and were once again using al—shifa as a command and control centre and they had detained around 80 people. hamas said israel was carrying out a war crime by targeting the hospital. this is an area that we have talked about repeatedly, the health facilities and gather at the moment are in a difficult and desperate state. we know medical supplies aren't getting into the gaza strip and treating people is becoming incredibly difficult to soak a lot of focus on this raid that has happened

overnight. let's hearfrom israel's idf spokesperson, who is explaining a bit more about this raid. here's idf spokesperson daniel hagari. the idea of conducting an operation following _ the idea of conducting an operation following intelligence demanded immediate action. we know hamas terrorists— immediate action. we know hamas terrorists have regrouped inside the al-shifa _ terrorists have regrouped inside the al—shifa hospital and are using it to command attacks against israel. our targeted mission isn'tjust an operational necessity, it is a global— operational necessity, it is a global imperative. our forces have underdone — global imperative. our forces have underdone specified training to prepare — underdone specified training to prepare them for the sensitive environment and complex scenarios they may— environment and complex scenarios they may encounter. i war is against hamas. _ they may encounter. i war is against hamas. not— they may encounter. i war is against hamas, not against the people of gaza _ hamas, not against the people of gaza we — hamas, not against the people of gaza. we seek no harm to the civilians — gaza. we seek no harm to the civilians that hamas is hiding

behind, _ civilians that hamas is hiding behind, which is why we will conduct this operation with caution and care, _ this operation with caution and care, while ensuring that the hospital— care, while ensuring that the hospital continues its important functions — hospital continues its important functions. forthis hospital continues its important functions. for this reason, we have arabie— functions. for this reason, we have arabic speakers on the ground so that we _ arabic speakers on the ground so that we can communicate to the patient — that we can communicate to the patient in — that we can communicate to the patient in the hospital in their own language — patient in the hospital in their own language and idf doctors to assist those _ language and idf doctors to assist those in _ language and idf doctors to assist those in need. we will also be conducting a humanitarian effort to provide _ conducting a humanitarian effort to provide food, water and other supplies— provide food, water and other supplies to the patient and civilians _ supplies to the patient and civilians in the hospital compound. there _ civilians in the hospital compound. there is— civilians in the hospital compound. there is no— civilians in the hospital compound. there is no obligation for the patient — there is no obligation for the patient and that medical staff to evacuate — patient and that medical staff to evacuate the hospital but there is and will _ evacuate the hospital but there is and will be a passageway for other civilians _ and will be a passageway for other civilians to — and will be a passageway for other civilians to exit the hospital. we call upon — civilians to exit the hospital. we call upon all hamas terrorist hiding in the _ call upon all hamas terrorist hiding in the hospital, surrender immediately. medicalfacilities should — immediately. medicalfacilities should never be exploited for terror — should never be exploited for terror. hamas must be held

accountable. from the israel defence forces talking about that overnight raid on al—shifa, a place where medics are still doing their work and patients are treated and outside displaced people are still trying to shelter from the fighting. i've also heard in the last 2a hours from the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. he made some remarks at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday accusing the international community are forgetting about the october seven attacks. he was speaking about various things, talking about the israeli military operation in gaza, but also touching on something which there is a lot of focus on at the moment, potential is really ground offensive in the city of rafah. this is at the very southern end of the gaza strip, where more than half of gaza's population are now sheltering and benjamin netanyahu was talking about this operation which he has

repeatedly said over the last few weeks israel will carry out. he made some interesting further comments after he met yesterday with the german chancellor olaf scholz. they had been discussing israel's operation there. they also talked about rafah. olaf scholz expressed concern about the civilians who were in rafa and the potential of serious harm to them. let's just hear what was said by benjamin netanyahu, because he made assurances that before any ground operation began in rafah they would try and move civilians out of the way. i should chancellor olaf scholz that in eliminating the remaining terrorist battalions in rafah goes hand—in—hand with enabling the civilian population to leave he won. it is not something we will do well keeping the population locked in

place. in fact, we will do the very opposite. we will enable them to leave because our consideration for reducing and minimising civilian casualties has guided us and will continue to guide us in the future. benjamin guide us in the future. ben'amin netanyahu. i guide us in the future. ben'amin netanyahu. one * guide us in the future. ben'amin netanyahu. one thing h guide us in the future. ben'amin netanyahu. one thing to h guide us in the future. benjamin netanyahu. one thing to note i guide us in the future. benjamin i netanyahu. one thing to note this morning is an israeli negotiating team are travelling to the qatari capital doha are to continue talks about a potential ceasefire arrangement, one which had been hoped would be in place by ramadan. it didn't happen but after a new hamas proposal and is on the way we believe led by the head of israel's mossad. we know they are going to try and negotiate over things that are still sticking point like how many hostages and palestinian prisoners will be released during any ceasefire agreement, so we expect those talks to resume today as well. we will keep you up—to—date with that and everything else happening here in the middle east. around the world and across the uk,

this bbc news. let's look at some other stories. let's look at some other stories making news. tributes have been paid to steve harley, who fronted the band, cockney rebel — who's died at the age of 73. his best known song — make me smile — reached number one in the british charts in 1975. he'd been forced to cancel performances last year after being diagnosed with cancer. the m25 between junctions 10 and ii has re—opened after being closed all weekend to demolish a bridge and install a new gantry. the daytime closure of the motorway — which is one of the country's busiest stretches — was unprecedented. national highways says the work was finished eight hours ahead of schedule. a fictional starship has landed on a 50p coin, with the royal mint unveiling its latest collectable star wars pieces. collectors and fans will enjoy a feature on the coin depicting a silhouette of the millennium falcon and the rebel alliance starbird symbol.

you're live with bbc news. councils in england say they are now spending an average of two thirds of their budget on vital services for adults and children. bbc panorama found that spending per head on children s services alone has risen by 77 per cent in a decade. the county council's network is now calling for an honest discussion with the government about future funding, but ministers say councils have already been given additional money. here's our social affairs editor, alison holt. it's half past seven in the morning, and 17—year—old harley is getting the school bus. his special educational needs mean he gets support from havering council in greater london. you've got that smile before you get on my bus, thank you. including getting him to and from college. for harley, obviously a lot of support around the physical. harley cannot transfer out

of his wheelchair, so he needs people around him that are going to guide him and keep him safe. we always have fun in the bus. but havering council has been fighting to stop itself going bust. it's planning cuts and savings, including to special needs transport. parents are angry. the transport is huge, because he wants to be as independent as he can. he's going to college. lewis is cheeky. lewis is absolutely cheeky. yes. he's very sociable. he needs to feel included and part of society, and be able to experience as much as he can, the same as everyone else can. all right, are we all in? fantastic. ijust like being on - the bus with my mates. that's my life now. overfive months, bbc panorama has followed havering as it's tried to balance the needs of people like harley, against the council's deep financial problems.

cathy freeman is the chief financial officer. last autumn she warned they faced an overspend of more than £50 million in the next 12 months. the council leader is ray morgan of the residents association. it just shows the scale of the problem. it's the most challenging budget that i've seen. but at the end of the day, we do have to consider all of these really difficult decisions. the problem is, many people think, well, obviously council tax primarily went to pay for cleaning their streets, repairing their roads, providing libraries and making sure their parks were in good order, trees were maintained. but no, it's not. on average, councils in england now spend two thirds of their budgets on children's services and adult social care. can we just start with what your relationship is to the child? analysis shows per head spending on children's services up by 77% in a decade. can ijust discuss this one? but the money havering gets from central government has reduced in real terms, and grants are calculated on the population

they had more than a decade ago. since then, it's grown by io%, or 25,000 people. we've been cutting back council services for the last decade or more now. the position is unsustainable. it's untenable. so, we're not sticking our heads in the sand. we want people to listen, and we need a response. this is my letter to the minister. in early march, the government told havering it could borrow up to £54 million to avoid going bust. it says it's given local authorities extra funding, but they are responsible for their own finances. even with the loan, havering residents will find most cuts still go ahead, and more are likely to be needed. alison holt, bbc news. great britain's most succesful female olympian, dame laura kenny, has told the bbc she's retiring, and won't compete in the paris games this summer.

i only made the decision about ten days ago, but when it is in your head and you are already feeling it, ijust head and you are already feeling it, i just wanted to speak to more people about it and obviously it is quite difficult to just be like, i think i want to retire, but now it is out i can talk about it and it is quite nice. is out i can talk about it and it is quite nice-— is out i can talk about it and it is cuite nice. ~ . .,, quite nice. what was the thing ten da s auo quite nice. what was the thing ten days ago that _ quite nice. what was the thing ten days ago that made _ quite nice. what was the thing ten days ago that made the _ quite nice. what was the thing ten days ago that made the decision? | quite nice. what was the thing ten | days ago that made the decision? i think days ago that made the decision? think i kept days ago that made the decision? i think i kept getting this funny feeling, i was having conversations with people about getting back on the track and when i was going to join back up with the girls, the team pursuit gold, and ijust kept getting a horrible feeling in my tummy that was like, you don't want to go there, why are you going to leave the children to go there and meet up on the track? and i thought, no, this is why, because i don't want to be riding my bike any more and i'm just doing want to be riding my bike any more and i'mjust doing it want to be riding my bike any more and i'm just doing it because it is all i have ever known so once i started getting these gut—wrenching, oh, god, idon't started getting these gut—wrenching, oh, god, i don't want to go back, i thought that is the decision made for me. ., ., , .,,

thought that is the decision made forme. ., ., , , . for me. knowing when to stop in such a tou~h for me. knowing when to stop in such a tough bet — for me. knowing when to stop in such a tough bet isn't _ for me. knowing when to stop in such a tough bet isn't it? _ for me. knowing when to stop in such a tough bet isn't it? yeah, _ for me. knowing when to stop in such a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because i a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because when ou a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because when you are _ a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because when you are an — a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because when you are an athlete, _ a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because when you are an athlete, it - a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because when you are an athlete, it is - a tough bet isn't it? yeah, because| when you are an athlete, it is done, you can't you will come back to it in five years. it is so definite. i had this conversation with jason when he decided that now is enough and he was going to go into coaching and he was going to go into coaching and he was going to go into coaching and he found it hard, he had the same thing but it was like, you can't really go back. i mean, you can't really go back. i mean, you can if you don't have loads of years off, but if you are going to fully commit to something else then it is done. once it is done, it is done. that was lara kenny who won five olympic golds in seven vote on the chip titles in a distinguished cycling career. let's speak to dani rowe, a british former road and track cyclist, who won a gold medal alongside laura kenny in the team pursuit at the london 2012 olympics. thank you so much for your time. listening to or there explaining why she made this decision, what is your

reaction? i she made this decision, what is your reaction? ., she made this decision, what is your reaction? . ., , , , reaction? i am not surprised. obviously _ reaction? i am not surprised. obviously l — reaction? i am not surprised. obviously i was _ reaction? i am not surprised. obviously i was one - reaction? i am not surprised. obviously i was one of- reaction? i am not surprised. obviously i was one of the i reaction? i am not surprised. - obviously i was one of the people that boro had spoken to about the possibility of retiring. we have grown up together, we were in the british cycling system as team—mates but also very good friends as well so we discussed together so i am not overly surprised but i'm so proud her and i messaged her this morning just to say, i knew this was coming, however i feel so emotional about it. not only was she a remarkable cyclist but also a remarkable person, a remarkable friend who made myjourney on person, a remarkable friend who made my journey on the person, a remarkable friend who made myjourney on the bike so much better as well and provided so much entertainment for all of us. lstallion entertainment for all of us. when ou were entertainment for all of us. when you were speaking _ entertainment for all of us. when you were speaking to _ entertainment for all of us. when you were speaking to are, - entertainment for all of us. when you were speaking to are, did - entertainment for all of us. when | you were speaking to are, did you get that sense her heart was really at home now with herfamily? definitely, i went to visit lara with my family as well and it is just so nice to see how she is

slotting into that home life with her boys, with herfamily and i think it is perfect timing. of course she will find a card, ig said, it is all she has ever known and she has grown up on a bike. however,... and she has grown up on a bike. however.---_ and she has grown up on a bike. however,... sorry, i think we are havin: however,... sorry, i think we are having some _ however,... sorry, i think we are having some difficulty _ however,... sorry, i think we are having some difficulty speaking, | however,... sorry, i think we are i having some difficulty speaking, but as soon as we can get her back, we will. she was speaking there about the reasons why laura is retiring, how her heart is with her family and they are friends, talking about the conversation again. an artwork that appeared on the side of a building near finsbury park in north london has prompted speculation that it might be by the world famous graffiti artist, banksy. a mass of green has been painted behind a cut—back mature tree to look like foliage, with a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose next to it.

you can see the pictures are. what do you think? do you think it is banksy? i hearwe do you think? do you think it is banksy? i hear we may be getting danny back. do we have a back? no, i havejust been danny back. do we have a back? no, i have just been told we don't. let's move to australia. a hearing has been held in canberra as part of a senate inquiry examining the threat from invasive fire ants. experts say they pose more of a danger to australia than many other creatures, including other foxes. they are thought to have entered australian shipping containers. after yet another volcanic eruption, a state of emergency is in force in southern iceland. it's the fourth eruption since december. residents in the small town of grindaveek have been evacuated.

the blue lagoon geothermal spa, which is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations, has also closed. lava flows cut off one road overnight, but they've slowed down since then. this latest eruption is believed to be the most powerful so far. that is all for now but please stay with those on bbc news because there is much more to come. the weather this week is changeable, the first half of the week mild, the second half feeling colder with temperatures closer to average but today we are looking at a lot of dry weather, 30 spells and some showers around but as we go through the day they will tend to eat and that is because we have a weather front pushing in from the west and east, weakening all the time bringing this

line of cloud possibly the odd shower. for most it will be dry, sony, then try turning haiti in the west later as rain arrives in northern ireland with strengthening winds. still temperatures eight to 16 degrees north to south. this evening and overnight, the weather front brings rain to one the east, turning mark showery in nature. it will be cloudy, blustery and it will be another mild night. temperatures six to about 10 degrees. we start off tomorrow and that cloudy note with some showers, a lot of these pushing over towards the east. we may end up with a band of cloud lingering in the far south—east with a lot of dry weather following on behind with some sunshine. temperatures similar in the south—east, 15 or 16 degrees, still quite mild for the time of year, nine to 12 to 1a quite rightly. from tuesday into wednesday, this is

different lingering in the south—east but it also has another attachment which is pushing northwards and eastward during the course of wednesday, so this forecast could well change. at the moment, it looks like all this cloud and rain across central and eastern areas pushing away as we go through the course of the day. behind it you will find brighter skies, sunshine but we could hang hang on to more cloud and showery rain in the far south—east. temperatures pressure in the north but still mild as we push further south. then as we head through thursday and into the weekend, look at the ice about over the next few days. they are squeezed so it will be windy at times, weather front drifting through, some rain and then the wind changes. the outlook is windy at times, some rain and ice at northerly wind content it will turn colder with some wintry showers on the tops of the hills.

this is bbc news, the headlines... vladimir putin wins a fifth term as russian president — and says he will prioritise the war in ukraine following his landslide victory. the israeli military lunches and overnight attack on the hospital. here is the idf spokesman. i am so

sorry, we do not have that. a bbc investigation finds many women from malawi working in an are being abused by their employers. the tiny critters posing a threat to australian wildlife, why the senate in the country is tackling fire ants. a bbc investigation has revealed extensive abuse of african women working in oman as domestic servants. dozens of malawian women, who have been lured there by recruiting agents, have told bbc africa eye they were beaten, raped and treated like prisoners whilst working in the gulf country. awarning... this report by africa eye's azeezat olaoluwa contains distressing details from the start. ifeel like i'm in prison. please, please, please, madam, please. these videos were recorded by domestic workers in oman. they are all from malawi, one of the world's poorest countries. the women came together in a whatsapp group after being