no ones smart as possible. it is in no ones interest that we see escalation. meanwhile — the un launches a $2.8 billion appeal — for aid for the palestinian population in the gaza strip and occupied west bank. passengers at one of the worlds busiest airports face continued disruption after heavy rain has battered much of the grant. hugh grant has settled against the newspaper the sun newspaper against claims that private investigators used her phone hacking to target his phone. hello and welcome to bbc news. three hours of fast moving news and interviews and reaction. we begin in the middle east where the british foreign secretary lord cameron has said it is clear that israel has decided to retaliate against last weekend's missile and drone attack by iran. he

met with his israeli counterpart benjamin netanyahu and other senior leaders are today. he has been urging restraint from israel after that attack on friday by iran. mr netanyahu's office has told lord cameron that israel will reserve the right to protect itself. lord cameron is visiting the region adds the same time as germany minister of foreign affairs, they are the first western diplomat to visit since iran's straight over the weekend. more is expected to visit in the coming days. the uk foreign secretary's is also due to visit the prime list of the palestinian authority. after he met with prime minister netanyahu, lord cameron spoke to reporters and they asked him if he was satisfied that israel was not going to do anything that could exacerbate the situation. we wanted to demonstrate our solidarity with israel because it was

an appalling attack by iran. but to be clear, we have repeated our view that any response should be smart and that should be designed in a way that is going to limit and try to de—escalate this conflict. nobody wants to see this conflict grow and spread. and so those were the things that we were discussing. but at the same time, i think it's really important for the eyes of the world to switch to looking at the situation in gaza, where hamas have now held these hostages for 193 days. they have been offered a good deal to release dozens of prisoners from israeli jails in exchange for a pause in the fighting and for a small number of hostages to be released. they should take that deal. and when the world sees them not taking that deal, everyone should recognize that it's hamas that is causing this conflict to continue. well, as i've said, we don't want to see escalation. we hope that anything israel does is as limited and as targeted and as smart as possible. it's in no one's interest that we see escalation. and that is what we've said very

clearly to all the people i've been speaking to here in israel. but at the same time, we should also recognize some things that are going in the right direction, and that is huge amounts of aid now potentially coming into gaza, the opening of ashdod port, the opening of new crossings, getting up to that 500 trucks a day. these are the things we've been asking for for a long time. and to be fair to the israeli government, they have now accepted that. and it's now a question of delivering those things. and the early signs are encouraging. i think we are seeing a genuine change in israel's attitude in aid getting into gaza. they have made a series of promises about opening the port at ashdod, about opening new crossing points into gaza, about aiming for 500 trucks a day, switching the water back on into gaza, about allowing more to come through the so called jordan corridor. now, these are important promises. there are early signs that there are improvements being delivered, but we'll want to check day by day that it really is happening

because it's so important we get that aid into gaza, we get people fed, we get them water, we get them the shelter, we get them the medicine they need. big changes have been promised by the israelis. we believe some things are happening and we want to make sure they all happen. well a little earlier, before lord cameron's meeting with mr netanyahu, our diplomatic correspondent james landale sent this report from jerusalem. more than 300 drones and missiles were launched at israel from iran an unprecedented attack that thrust an old war out of the shadows and into the open. the men and women around this table have decided to retaliate but it is not clear when or how. they urging restraint. the message lord cameron reinforced when he met his counterpart injerusalem asking israel to think about the future of

the region. germany's foreign minister also in turn urging israel to act wisely. minister also in turn urging israel to act wisely-— to act wisely. israel is an independent _ to act wisely. israel is an independent sovereign i to act wisely. israel is an - independent sovereign country and gets to make these choices. we hope and continue to hope that as they do so they do so in a way that is smart as well as tough but is also doing as well as tough but is also doing as little as possible to escalate this conflict.— as little as possible to escalate this conflict. ., ., ., this conflict. lord cameron said he would also — this conflict. lord cameron said he would also be _ this conflict. lord cameron said he would also be raising _ this conflict. lord cameron said he would also be raising the - this conflict. lord cameron said he would also be raising the situation| would also be raising the situation in gaza where the humanitarian crisis is still dire. he said he would be asking israel to do more to let aid in but also put pressure on hamas to release the israeli hostages and accept what he called a good ceasefire deal. in iran today parades to celebrate the country's army and its missile. all in front of the president who had a fresh warning against any retaliation by israel. translation: if they make

this latest move to violate our territory and harm the national interest of the atomic republic they must understand that they will face a severe and heavy response. israel has won new diplomatic support in the wake of iran's attack and it wants to use that to put more international pressure on tehran. the west seems happy to do that as ministers meet today to discuss new sanctions on iran.— sanctions on iran. there is more than we can _ sanctions on iran. there is more than we can do _ sanctions on iran. there is more than we can do to _ sanctions on iran. there is more than we can do to show - sanctions on iran. there is more than we can do to show a - sanctions on iran. there is more than we can do to show a unitedj than we can do to show a united front that iran is behind so much of the malign activity in this region. backing hamas, backing hezbollah backing the houthis and they need to be given a unequivocal message from the g7. ~ . , , ., , ., the g7. much depends on this man, the g7. much depends on this man, the israel premised _ the g7. much depends on this man, the israel premised benjamin - the israel premised benjamin netanyahu lord cameron also met. he has welcomed the support for israel

over the weekend but in this war he has not always listened to britain's advice. meanwhile, the united nations is launching a $2.8 billion appeal, to provide aid to palestinians in the gaza strip and occupied west bank. organisers say 90% of the funding would go to gaza, as aid workers there struggle to prevent famine. they've warned that thousands of people there don't have the food and supplies they need — particularly in the north of the territory. they'll also focus on re—establishing health services and infrastructure, including water supplies, which have been destroyed during the war. as the war continues on the hamas run health health ministry the debt now stands at 330 b32,899. for more on all of those developments we can speak to melanie ward, the ceo of medical aid for palestinians, an

organisation which provides medical aid and support to the palestinian health care system. melanie, you have come back from gaza only a short while ago so first of all, i'd like you to take us through what you saw on your trip. like you to take us through what you saw on your trip-— saw on your trip. sorry, i was in gaza last _ saw on your trip. sorry, i was in gaza last week _ saw on your trip. sorry, i was in gaza last week and _ saw on your trip. sorry, i was in gaza last week and the - saw on your trip. sorry, i was in | gaza last week and the situation there is an unmitigated human disaster of historic proportion. there are over a million people crowded into rafah which is a small place. they are in makeshift shelters are made of pieces of plastic stretched over a word, they are as close to the sea as they can get because they have moved as far away from the israeli ministry as they can. of course, they cannot escape aerial bombardment or bombardment from the sea both of which happened while i was there. there is a lack of absolutely everything you need to prevent a humanitarian disaster. there is a lack of water. so our medical points

in areas where there are lots of displaced people are reporting increasing numbers of infections and illnesses caused by dehydration. there's not enough food and so one in three children under the age of two are acutely malnourished. in the hospitals, i was in one of the hospitals, i was in one of the hospitals in the middle area, and there there is not enough medical equipment. i witness a child screaming in pain because she had an arm injury from air strike. they was not enough pain medicine for her. they are now home to reuse single—use medical items they are literally removing from dead people's limbs and using them and live people because we cannot get enough medical supplies in. there is also water sewage everywhere and disease has increased because of this the situation could not be more serious and for all the talk we hear including from david cameron, none of it is delivering change at any scale that we can notice. to be honest, it is quite sad to hear him continuing to play with the israelis

to switch the water back on. we are six months, more than six months, into this war now and the water still has not been switched on. it is unconscionable. it is still has not been switched on. it is unconscionable.— is unconscionable. it is difficult to listen to _ is unconscionable. it is difficult to listen to some _ is unconscionable. it is difficult to listen to some of— is unconscionable. it is difficult to listen to some of your - is unconscionable. it is difficult - to listen to some of your testimony there, melanie, and despite everything that you are facing their as aid workers and of course, the people living through this, all those palestinian families, it particularly the children you talk about, how do you think this aid from the un, this massive injection of funds can make any difference, particularly, when it comes to averting a possible famine? the aid is desperately _ averting a possible famine? the aid is desperately needed. _ averting a possible famine? the aid is desperately needed. let's - averting a possible famine? the aid is desperately needed. let's be - is desperately needed. let's be clear, the reason is not reaching people at the moment is because the israeli military is actively preventing it from doing so. they must immediately open all the land crossings and give free access for aid and aid workers. and, as you said in your introduction, there is nowhere that is more important than

this, than in the north of gaza. we have a team in the north, so far we have a team in the north, so far we have managed to distribute hygiene items, dignity kits, warm clothing to around 60,000 displaced people in the last few months across a 31 different shelters. but what we cannot get to people in the quantities that is needed, is food. it is in the north of gaza where the famine is most advanced. last week, for example, we saw a unicef convoy that was trying to travel from the south of gaza to the north, to start trading to deal with the malnutrition situation being fired upon by israeli soldiers in a prearranged convoy that was moving from the south to the north. these are the kinds of obstacles that we face in our way. it is a massive uphill battle and the solutions are really simple. we simply need israel to allow the aid in, to stop targeting humanitarian workers, but ultimately, until there is a

ceasefire we will not be able to do every is needed to deal with a humanitarian crisis. i'm sure it's going to get a lot worse, we are still expecting that israel may plan to attack rafah in the weeks ahead and that is a huge concern for everybody on the ground and for all of us who are working on this crisis. ~ ., of us who are working on this crisis. ~ . . ., ., , crisis. melanie ward, a sobering testimony _ crisis. melanie ward, a sobering testimony from _ crisis. melanie ward, a sobering testimony from you _ crisis. melanie ward, a sobering testimony from you there. - crisis. melanie ward, a sobering| testimony from you there. thank crisis. melanie ward, a sobering - testimony from you there. thank you very much for sharing your experiences following your trip to gaza last week. just to say, that we have not been able to get any comment from israel on some of the things that melanie has said. it is worth mentioning that in the past israel has said that it is not deliberately targeting aid workers. inflation in the uk has fallen to its lowest level for 2.5 years. the rate at which consumer prices rise was three point 2% last month, that's down from three point 4% in february. food prices were the main reason for the fall, which was slightly less than had been expected. inflation has been gradually coming down since its peak of ii % 18 months ago.

this report from our chief economics correspondent, dharshini david. from the moment her day starts, higher prices are taking their toll on sam who cares for adults with learning difficulties. water is 8% more expensive than a year ago. energy bills are down 18% but long related relief for many. food and drink, however, is up 4% overall. milk is cheaper as he may have noticed that there could be overshadowed by sugar which is 14% dearer. sam has had pay rises but she is forgoing things from haircuts to eye tests to make ends meet. i have thought about leaving for a better paid job but i love myjob, i am very passionate about myjob and it's, actually not a job it's a vocation which i feel we need more people to come into this work but if

they look at the pay, they would not want to do this work.— want to do this work. inflation has lowered considerably _ want to do this work. inflation has lowered considerably from - want to do this work. inflation has lowered considerably from its - want to do this work. inflation has| lowered considerably from its peak as we put global foods and higher interest rates take effect. a low energy price cap in april will help it fall to the bank of england's 2% target but things remain more expensive. target but things remain more exoensive-_ target but things remain more exensive. ., . ., ,, , expensive. council tax especially, it is 'ust expensive. council tax especially, it isjust gone _ expensive. council tax especially, it isjust gone shooting _ expensive. council tax especially, it isjust gone shooting up. - expensive. council tax especially, it isjust gone shooting up. it - expensive. council tax especially, it isjust gone shooting up. it is i it isjust gone shooting up. it is getting — it isjust gone shooting up. it is getting more difficult every day so i getting more difficult every day so i don't _ getting more difficult every day so i don't see — getting more difficult every day so i don't see any real change. the most expensive _ i don't see any real change. the most expensive thing is the accommodation _ most expensive thing is the accommodation and - most expensive thing is the accommodation and the - most expensive thing is the accommodation and the oil| most expensive thing is the - accommodation and the oil and petrol — accommodation and the oil and petrol. petrol— accommodation and the oil and petrol. petrol prices _ accommodation and the oil and petrol. petrol prices are - petrol. petrol prices are increasing, _ petrol. petrol prices are increasing, everything. petrol. petrol prices are| increasing, everything is increasing _ increasing, everything is increasing i— increasing, everything is increasing.— increasing, everything is increasinr. ., ., , ., increasing. i have not seen a considerable _ increasing. i have not seen a considerable drop _ increasing. i have not seen a considerable drop in - increasing. i have not seen a i considerable drop in anything, unfortunately. but, hopefully, fingers crossed, things will start to improve. for fingers crossed, things will start to improve-— fingers crossed, things will start to imrove. ., ~ , to improve. for the prime minister, a sense things _ to improve. for the prime minister, a sense things are _ to improve. for the prime minister, a sense things are getting - to improve. for the prime minister, a sense things are getting better. i a sense things are getting better. after a tough couple of years, today's —

after a tough couple of years, today's figures show that our economic— today's figures show that our economic plan is for the mac falling — economic plan is for the mac falling -- _ economic plan is for the mac falling. —— our economic plan is working — falling. —— our economic plan is working |— falling. -- our economic plan is workinu. ., falling. -- our economic plan is workinu. ~' ., ,., falling. -- our economic plan is workinu. ~' ., ., working. i think the reason for the frozen inflation _ working. i think the reason for the frozen inflation is _ working. i think the reason for the frozen inflation is down _ working. i think the reason for the frozen inflation is down to - working. i think the reason for the frozen inflation is down to what i working. i think the reason for the frozen inflation is down to what is| frozen inflation is down to what is happening — frozen inflation is down to what is happening in— frozen inflation is down to what is happening in some _ frozen inflation is down to what is happening in some of— frozen inflation is down to what is happening in some of the - frozen inflation is down to what is happening in some of the global. happening in some of the global markets — happening in some of the global markets but _ happening in some of the global markets but the _ happening in some of the global markets but the truth _ happening in some of the global markets but the truth is - happening in some of the global markets but the truth is that - happening in some of the global- markets but the truth is that people are still_ markets but the truth is that people are still worse — markets but the truth is that people are still worse off, _ markets but the truth is that people are still worse off, worse _ markets but the truth is that people are still worse off, worse off- markets but the truth is that people are still worse off, worse off after. are still worse off, worse off after 14 years _ are still worse off, worse off after 14 years of — are still worse off, worse off after 14 years of conservative - are still worse off, worse off after- 14 years of conservative government. ready _ 14 years of conservative government. ready to _ 14 years of conservative government. ready to hit _ 14 years of conservative government. ready to hit the — 14 years of conservative government. ready to hit the road _ 14 years of conservative government. ready to hit the road but _ 14 years of conservative government. ready to hit the road but only - 14 years of conservative government. ready to hit the road but only after . ready to hit the road but only after sam has forked out a bigger insurance bill which, like many services, has seen more stubborn inflation and to fill up. petrol prices could rise further if unrest in the middle east hits oil prices. which could mean more bumps in the road to lower inflation. economists still expect rates to start falling in the summer but we are there yet. the bbc has confirmed the deaths of 50,000 russian troops since the start of the full scale invasion of ukraine. more than 27,300 were killed in the second year of combat. the bbc, russian independent media

and volunteers have been counting deaths from official reports, and counting the new graves of soldiers — since february 2022. the actual death toll is thought to be far higher — nearer 100,000. you can see a full report on the bbc news app and the bbc website. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

the post office inquiry continues today, with a former investigatior and former chairman set to give evidence. yesterday the inquiry heard there were problems with the horizon it system as it was being introduced in 1999. the post office prosecuted 700 people due to the faulty computer system and it has been described as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in british history. the inquiry has been hearing from john

longman, a post office investigator who describes one case where they should have been an investigation into a possible computer fault. i seem to recall that this was a case where i asked why is it being sent over to the investigation department? because 95% of the investigation had already been carried out by the retail line, so yes, this was a case that should have gone up to... should have gone through a process of seeing if there was a fault. most probably, it should have gone up to fujitsu for a review, because i think i have said in my statement that i would consider that fujitsu would be the ones to be able to identify a problem or a fault more than an investigator. our correspondent azadeh moshiri is at the inquiry and joins me now... watching that is just a reminder of

all the faults in a computer system that, in the end, ended up ruining so many lives. what more have we heard today about who is taking the blame for this in terms of that computer system that was a fidgety system, is that right? yes. computer system that was a fidgety system, is that right?— system, is that right? yes. that is what this inquiry _ system, is that right? yes. that is what this inquiry is _ system, is that right? yes. that is what this inquiry is trying - system, is that right? yes. that is what this inquiry is trying to - what this inquiry is trying to understand, how this could have all possibly happen and what people knew and when they know it. they are trying to understand today whatjohn longman, a former investigator for the post office, knew about the horizon it system, about any bugs in the software, as well as what he disclosed to other parts of postmasters who were being accused of theft and false accounting is. the you heard there, john longman was talking aboutjennifer odell�*s was talking about jennifer odell�*s case. was talking aboutjennifer odell�*s case. she is someone who actually challenged the allegations against her, blamed it on the horizon it

software and the key there is that that case was then dropped. they used the word discontinued at the time but the key point that the council was trying to understand was that if investigators and prosecutors knew of any challenges orany prosecutors knew of any challenges or any concerns about the horizon it system, did they disclose that two other sub—postmaster is because remember, this has been a common refrain from so many victims. that they were told that they were the only one. john longman has said that in hindsight, a number of things could have possibly been done differently and one of them is that he believes that that case, the jennifer odell case, where a bug in the horizon software system was suggested, should have been disclosed to the legal team, which it was not. once a said puzzles were

sent to prison when she was eight weeks pregnant and she was sat here in this inquiry listening to the investigator giving evidence on being asked whether she and other victims were treated fairly and appropriately. victims were treated fairly and appropriately-— victims were treated fairly and auroriatel. . , . appropriately. thank you very much for that update _ appropriately. thank you very much for that update and _ appropriately. thank you very much for that update and if _ appropriately. thank you very much for that update and if you _ appropriately. thank you very much for that update and if you want - appropriately. thank you very much for that update and if you want to l for that update and if you want to follow that inquiry in more detail, we are running a live page on the bbc news website, which has regular updates on what is being said there so you can go there if you would like a bit more detail. at least 14 people have been killed and around 60 injured in what ukrainian officials say was a russian missile attack on chernihiv. the city's mayor said a high—rise building in a densely—populated neighbourhood was hit. president zelensky said the destruction wouldn't have taken place if ukraine had sufficient air defences. bus passengers dive for cover after two missiles hit nearby. what follows is the haunting sound of a third.

in chernihiv, live air strikes happen with little notice. russia tried and failed to take this city. but with its border only 60 miles away, the skies bring a constant threat. i was walking my dog, says maxim. i heard a hit, then the second and the third. i thought it was air defense working. the explosions are followed by a familiar recovery routine, with the number of dead expected to rise. for ukrainians, there is no escaping russia's invasion and their leader keeps asking his allies for more air defenses. translation: with our partners, we work to get more real - help to achieve true equality in the defense against terror, for the same rules to apply to us here in ukraine. with western military aid continuing to deplete, ukraine is increasingly fighting this war on its own.

james waterhouse reporting there from ukraine. now to another story in dubai... heavy rain has battered the gulf states, causing flash flooding — with some places recording a year's worth of rain in a single day. dubai airport was forced to divert incoming flights for around two hours. officials say there is still significant disruption to flights. nicola dickinson lives in dubai and told me a little more about what's been happening they have had an unprecedented 24 hours. they've lived in the uae for 4.5 years and as you say, we've had our year's rain in one day. it started in the morning. the government have done a fantastic job to pre—warn everybody and get everyone to stay home and work from home. although if people do have to go out, we had take friends to the metro station to try to get to the airport and make a flight, we talked about the flights

being a little bit delayed, and coming back, the roads were terribly flooded. and i nearly didn't make it at one point, this road you can see behind me yesterday was very deep and driving a range rover through that was quite hard, i could feel myself nearly stopping. and went home, stayed at home, stayed in the dry. but not many infrastructure could cope with the rain we had. we have had floods, people are unable to get food deliveries and just the community are all trying to pitch together to help people out. so, nicola, you are saying the road you are on, looks like all the water has gone, it was incredibly flooded. briefly, what was being done to try to get things back on track? it looks like a good drainage, for example, where you are? the path was really flooded and i think we had something like one year of rain in one day,

in 24 hours. so everything has been very flooded, you see all the abandoned cars. the sunshine helps, there's strong drainage in place but also tankers were out with hosepipes and they were sucking up the water from the road and getting the roads clear and safe for people to get moving again. i was speaking to a climatology is airlie who said those rains are really very unprecedented. will have more on that later on. hello there. the direction of the wind will play a key role in the weather story over the next few days. lighter winds generally, today, and that's given us a chance for some sunshine and to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossom that we've got. but it's still coming from the north. this high pressure is trying to dominate, but as it sits out to the west and the winds circulate around there, it means that

we've got showers coming in from a northeasterly along the east coast and along the west coast as well. sandwiched in between the two for the remainder of the afternoon is where we're likely to see fewer showers and some sunny moments. but because the wind direction coming from the north, it's cool out there for the time of year, highs between eight and i3 celsius. a few scattered showers easing away from east anglia in the southeast. clearer skies developing overnight tonight. that's going to allow those temperatures to fall away. gardeners and growers take note — we could see a touch of frost out to the west under those clearer skies. not quite as cold in the northwest because there's more cloud and yes, there's more rain. so rain pushing into northwest scotland, gradually drifting down to the borders, moving out of northern ireland, pushing into north west england and north wales. so gradually, after a sunny start, clouding over, with the exception of east anglia in the south east — here it will be a degree or so warmer with that sunshine, 15 degrees the high, but that means rain for all of us at some point through thursday night, easing away during friday morning, the high trying to continue to establish itself

but still the wind direction coming from the north. so after a cool and sunny start on friday, we'll start to see cloud amounts continue to develop. a blustery afternoon for most of us, and temperatures once again a little bit under par for this time of year, but still get a bit of shelter and some sunshine. one or two of us might feel as though it's not too bad. now the high pressure stays with us into the weekend. it's still sitting out to the northwest, which means that we still potentially feed in wind direction from the north east. so along those exposed east coast, it could still be a little bit disappointing. west is best closer to that area of high pressure. so into the weekend, there is a chance that those temperatures may well continue to struggle out to the east with some showery outbreaks of rain at times. but further west, it will be warmer and there will continue to be some sun.

uk inflation falls to the lowest in two and a half years, but is the fight against rising prices heading in the same direction across the world? escalating trade tensions — joe biden says he wants more tariffs

on chinese steel and aluminium as he tries to protect america's metal industry. welcome to world business report, i'm... target enright. batter the rate at which prices are rising is something that continues to trouble millions of people around the world. but in the uk there's been another fall in the inflation rate, which is now at its lowest for two and a half years. the global picture is somewhat mixed and that's giving central bankers — the people who decide how much it should cost to borrow money — plenty to think about. here in the uk, inflation for march has been reported today at an annnualised rate of 3.2%. that's a long way from its recent peak of just over 11%. the latest figures show a fall in the cost of meat and furniture, among other things.

but many forecasters had been banking on a more