lam in i am in central london, as relatives wait for the conclusion of that report. they say they are looking for truth, justice, and accountability. wikileaks founderjulian assange could learn today whether his extradition to the us will go ahead. a decision is expected at the high court in london, where supporters of mr assange have been gathering. our top story this hour — iran has confirmed the death of president ebrahim raisi, who died along with the iranian foreign minister when their helicopter crashed on sunday. their bodies have now been recovered from the crash site. it's thought another seven people might have been on the helicopter, which crashed in thick fog and rain.

iran's supreme leader, ayatollah khamenei, has announced five days of public mourning. the search, in a mountainous area in north—western iran near tabriz, has been hampered by bad weather. graham satchell has the story. search teams have been scouring the mountains of north—west iran all night. thick fog and heavy rain have hampered efforts, but in the early hours of this morning, this, a drone sent by turkey identified a source of heat. footage shows an aerial view of a landscape at night and a dark blotch on what appears to be a hillside. when rescuers eventually reached the wreckage on foot, they found the helicopter, which had been carrying iran's president and foreign minister was completely burned with no signs of life. and soon after, confirmation that both iran's president, ebrahim raisi, and foreign minister have been killed in the crash.

translation: the servant of the iranian people, - ebrahim raisi, the president of the republic of iran, was martyred while serving the people of iran. president raisi, seen here on the left, had been visiting a dam project. this is footage of him earlier in the day, travelling in a convoy of three helicopters. ebrahim raisi became the president in 2021 and was responsible for tightening morality laws and oversaw a ruthless crackdown of anti—government protests. he was seen as a potential successor to the supreme leader. his death will have a profound impact on iran and the wider middle east. let's speak to in a reigning dutch lecture at behaved university of applied sciences. thank you

so so much forjoining us on bbc news. take us through what next for iran after the deaths of the president and foreign minister.— after the deaths of the president and foreign minister. according to the reaime and foreign minister. according to the regime constitution, _ and foreign minister. according to the regime constitution, a - and foreign minister. according to the regime constitution, a new. and foreign minister. according toj the regime constitution, a new set of elections should be conducted within 50 days. that is quite a short term. the question is how, let's say, this vacuum of power has emerged, because of the death of president raisi and his entourage will be filled in. is it going to be a conservative, loyal to the supreme leader and the revolutionary guard? —— a conservative. or a moderate loyal to the institutions, which is the supreme leader and the revolutionary guard? you could argue for both scenarios in the coming few days. what you see on the news and

social media about the happiness of the people of iran is that there is a vacuum of power. and this vacuum of power can be filled in. it gives opportunities for both the opposition groups, the diaspora, three dissidents but also the power inside the regime to foresee the future. one thing is for sure, the coming 50 days are going to be a consequential for the future of the islamic republic. h0??? consequential for the future of the islamic republic.— islamic republic. how is the new resident islamic republic. how is the new president are _ islamic republic. how is the new president are chosen? _ islamic republic. how is the new president are chosen? the - islamic republic. how is the new i president are chosen? the elections backin president are chosen? the elections back in 2021 effectively ran unopposed, there was something like a 30% turnout. is it the public that chooses the president, how is the present figure chosen? bier? chooses the president, how is the present figure chosen?— present figure chosen? very good cuestion. present figure chosen? very good question. there _ present figure chosen? very good question. there are _ present figure chosen? very good question. there are two _ present figure chosen? very good question. there are two scenarios and the dilemma is which one is going to be the choice of the supreme leader. is it going to be a moderate? in the absence of raisi,

ayatollah khamenei can firstly facilitate the president, like a moderate president, and can secure a greater number of popular votes, as you said, in the past elections, less than 8% of the voters in tehran voted for parliamentary elections, which is quite low. secondly, if a moderate could be president for a president candidate for khamenei, there can also be a great deal with there can also be a great deal with the united states and the west. is it going to be someone who is closer to russia and china or is it going to russia and china or is it going to be a candidate closer to, let's say, the us and the west? that's the dilemma. in 50 days, organising an election can create and unfold opportunities for different players, whether it is the centre of the

power of intech run or opposition groups. it is about how players work on this internationally and domestically will stop you bring up internationally a really important point. internationally a really important oint. , ., , ~ ., , point. tensions in the middle east are running _ point. tensions in the middle east are running very _ point. tensions in the middle east are running very high _ point. tensions in the middle east are running very high at _ point. tensions in the middle east are running very high at the - point. tensions in the middle east - are running very high at the moment. do you think the deaths of the president and foreign minister will destabilise or affect relations further? it destabilise or affect relations further? , , ., . further? it depends on which way we move forward- _ further? it depends on which way we move forward. if— further? it depends on which way we move forward. if there _ further? it depends on which way we move forward. if there is _ further? it depends on which way we move forward. if there is a _ move forward. if there is a candidate who is keen to the west and willing and capable to negotiate and willing and capable to negotiate a nuclear deal with the green light of the supreme leader, at the same time, negotiate about the regional power vacuums that would be filled with different players, like iran, and there is also a chance to have a successor, which can be the son of khamenei, for the future of the regime, there can be some kind of alternative to the present time. and

there can also be an alternative to there can also be an alternative to the situation in the middle east. if there is a conservative loyal even worse than raisi in the future, the picture is different. even though the president and foreign minister are not in power in iran, it is the supreme leader and revolutionary guard who makes the final decisions, but the pictures and optics are important. especially for what happened two years ago with the uprising by the iranian people who, in the vast majority, did not want to have this regime and they construct a different future for iran than they did before. thank you ve much iran than they did before. thank you very much for— iran than they did before. thank you very much for your _ iran than they did before. thank you very much for your time. _ iran than they did before. thank you very much for your time. my - very much for your time. my pleasure- — our international editor, lyse doucet, told me more about the situation. the rumour mills and conspiracy

machines are always in overdrive, crisis or no crisis, and the very fact that you are raising the question now as to whether this helicopter crash could have been the result of foul play underlines, especially when it involves the islamic republic of iran, which is known to have enemies inside and outside the country, as to whether or not there was foul play. as dan said, the israelis have been quick to anonymously say, it wasn't us. it would be highly unusual, even within the animosity between different political groups within the islamic republic of iran, for this sort of thing to happen, and all the images we saw very much confirmed this was treacherous mountain terrain, this was terrible weather, and it was exceedingly difficult for rescue teams to even reach the site of the crash. shocking for the population of iran to have two senior members of the government killed like this, but we're already seeing new appointees in those positions, because there is a 50—day window before elections

for a new president. yes, we saw the reactions on state television, where broadcasters broke down in tears, put their head on the desk and were sobbing, but we also heard reports of iranians very much opposed to this regime hoping that the end of raisi's rule will hasten the end of the regime. this is very much a divided society, but this is an islamic republic were all of the leaders of power, where all of the main bodies elected and unelected are now in the hands of the conservative hardliners. for them, this will be a moment, especially with the upcoming state funeral, for an expression of overwhelming grief and sorrow, but also to project unity, strength, and what matters above all is continuity and the preservation of the islamic republic. and what loss is this

to the iranian regime in terms of president raisi being seen potentially as a successor to the ayatollah? is there power vacuum at the top now, as opposed to who comes next in that role? the process of selecting the new spiritual leader is a very opaque process. there has, quite ironically, in recent weeks, been intense speculation about who the leading contenders are. ebrahimi raisi was mentioned, so was the second son of ayatollah khamenei. he has long been seen to be in the frame. no—one can say for certain. thatjob will be the task of the assembly of experts. ebrahimi raisi had a seat on that critical body, so that will have to be replaced as well. ebrahimi raisi was very much in the mould of ayatollah khamenei, when he took over the topjob in 1989. i was there at the time, everyone was looking at what was happening behind the scenes. middle—level cleric, very ideological, very much in the conservative mould.

ebrahimi raisi was also unconditionally loyal to the supreme leader. and a man with name recognition, who has had experience across a range of institutions. so, among many, he was seen as a possible successor. there will certainly have to be a jostling opposition now. we do expect that in the preparation for these elections, in looking to the future and that transition, the more consequential transition for the supreme leader, when that happens, there will be jockeying in the conservative group between the camps who are more hardline and those who are pragmatists. it is a critical moment in the islamic republic, but the death of ebrahimi raisi, at least as it looks now, will not be consequential. lyse doucet. there has been reaction to the news from world leaders and regional allies. russia's vladimir putin has offered his condolences, describing president raisi as a "true friend of russia" and an "outstanding politician".

china's president xi said president raisi's death was "a great loss to the iranian people". syria's embattled president bashar al—assad "affirmed syria's solidarity with the families of the deceased". the reaction has been especially strong among iran's allies. hamas praised mr raisi's support of palestinian resistance. our correspondent injerusalem, danjohnson, told us about the reaction to the news in israel. all eyes here watching what is happening in iran, but very careful moves being made or not made. the only hint that we have is an anonymous source, who has spoken to reuters from within the israeli government, saying it wasn't us. now, there is, of course, a huge amount of tension between iran and israel. it's only one month since iran launched that wave of drone attacks onto israel, that were largely defended and unsuccessful, but it shows you just how fierce rivals, enemies these countries are. iran is the sworn enemy of israel,

committed to its destruction, and we know that they have been funding the proxies like hamas and like hezbollah in lebanon who have been launching attacks into israel from gaza and into the north of israel from lebanon as well. so i think this will be watched very closely, they will be aware of the penitential speculation that could surround the downing of this helicopter. no official word yet from any israeli spokesman, but there is that anonymous, off—the—record tip off, saying, it wasn't us. there may be speculation about this, but it is not something that we were involved in. but that is not confirmed on the record, just an anonymous tip—off at the moment. an inquiry into the uk's biggest health scandal is due to release its final report in the next few hours. more than 30,000 people were infected with hiv and hepatitis c.

men, women and children were given contaminated blood in 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. many of them died as a result, and others unknowingly passed infections onto their partners — some of whom died. the inquiry was announced by then prime minister theresa may in 2017, after years of campaigning by victims and their families. they are now fighting for compensation. let's speak to our news correspondent rajini vaidyanathan who is outside methodist central hall in westminster. well, not long to wait now after such a long time for these families, who have gone through so much. yeah. who have gone through so much. yeah, i mean, who have gone through so much. yeah, i mean. this _ who have gone through so much. yeah, i mean, this scandal _ who have gone through so much. yeah, i mean, this scandal first _ who have gone through so much. yeah, i mean, this scandal first kind _ who have gone through so much. yeah, i mean, this scandal first kind of - i mean, this scandalfirst kind of emerged in the early 1980s. it took decades of these families living through the pain of people being infected with hiv or hepatitis c

after that you had transfusions for whatever reason or they were a haemophilia patient, who was receiving treatment using a blood product called factor viii, which and or hiv. for years, despite some warnings, the nhs continued to administer these treatments. many families who had lost a loved ones or indeed people who are still living with viruses like hepatitis c, were ignored, say they were gas lit. they say no one really took their concerns seriously and it wasn't until the inquiry began in 2018 that people really felt that, finally, this was being looked at. after a process of years, there has been so much going through this inquiry, lots of testimony, including from any of the family members and those affected, now is the moment they have been waiting for. at 12:30pm in the uk, that

report will finally be released. rajini vaidyanathan, we will be back to you when we get that report, which is in the next hour. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

the high court in london could give a final decision today on whether the wikileaks founder, julian assange, should be sent to the united states to face trial on spying charges. mr assange is wanted in relation to the release of thousands of secret documents on the wars in iraq and afghanistan. here are live pictures from outside the high court in london. mr assanges's supporters have been gathering. throughout the morning. he has resisted extradition

for more than ten years. his wife, stella assange, had this to say, before going into court. thank you, everyone, for coming and for the millions of people around the world who are supporting julian and protesting. oi, get out! shouting. we hope that the courts do the right thing today and find injulian�*s favour, but if they don't, we will take an emergency injunction, we will seek an emergency injunction from the european court of human rights. thank you. that was julian assange's wife speaking outside the high court. our diplomatic correspondent, caroline hawley, gave me more background to the case. it has been a long and twisted legal drama. began in 2010, whenjulian assange

first released the secret material. now, the us says the classified material was obtained by hacking and therefore in 2019, they, under donald trump, they sought his extradition for espionage. now, what his supporters who are outside court say, is this is a case about free speech, that he was bringing to the public attention abuses that the us troops were involved in in iraq and afghanistan. now, in 2010, you may remember that's when sweden issued an arrest warrant forjulian assange over allegations of sexual assault and he resisted extradition there. he went to the high court, he went to the supreme court and then he fled to the ecuadorian embassy, spent seven years there. by 2019, he had overstayed his

welcome and he was put in belmarsh jail and he has been fighting extradition to the us all the way. now, this latest hearing is about whether the court is satisfied with assurances that the judges have asked for from the united states, that if he is extradited to the us he doesn't face the death penalty and that he can rely on free speech protections, as if he was a us citizen. so, that is what is being discussed, i'm sorry, it is a long and tangled tale! it is. you have been following it and explain it really well. australia have entered the fray, as well? that's right. they have been lobbying president biden to drop the case and to allowjulian assange, who is an australian citizen, to go to australia. and president biden said last month that he was considering it but we've heard nothing more. so, i think there are three options. well, there may be more.

but one option is he wins today and he can lodge another appeal against extradition. another is that it goes against him, then he faces pretty imminent extradition. and then the other thing that he is hoping for, obviously, is that the americans drop the case. so, let's see what happens. the latest is, we could have a verdict by lunchtime, but let's see. the decision julian assange, the decisionjulian assange, the decision going on in the high court in london. some breaking news coming in london. some breaking news coming in from china, according to police. police in the south eastern chinese province say a woman has been arrested after a series of stabbings at a primary school. two people are dead following the knife attack. ten are injured. it is unclear at the moment how many of those victims are

children. a police statement said a 45—year—old woman has been detained after allegedly carrying out the stabbings using a fruit knife. we will bring you more details as and when we get them. hours after taiwan inaugurated its new president, william lai, china has warned the self—governed island that independence is a "dead end". mr lai earlier called for dialogue with china's leaders, but also said he would not back down in the face of intimidation — adding that taiwan must continue to strengthen its defensive capability. beijing considers the self—governing island to be its territory and regards mr lai as a dangerous separatist. the commemoration events have continuined in taipei, where the presidential partyjoined in with some singing and dancing at an event designed to celebrate taiwan's cultural heritage. let's listen to some

of what president lai had to say. translation: in the face of. the many threats and infiltration attempts from china, we must demonstrate our resolution to defend our nation and we must also raise our defence effort and strengthen our legal framework for national security. india is holding the fifth stage of its staggered general election. today, it's the chance for people in to vote. for people to vote. mumbai is the key economic hub, driving the nation's economic policy, as archana shukla reports. india's financial capital sends 11 lawmakers to the parliament and has been at the centre of economic policy making in the country and why not? the city contributes over 6% to the country's gdp and over a quarter of its industrial production. the business activity and consumption in the region are reflected from markets like this one is a key link

in india's are sent to being the fastest growing major economy in the world. the city is also one of contrasts. on one hand it is home to most billionaires in asia and it houses asia's the largest slums. the reason why some of the election issues that are talked about this time on economic lines and reflective of this inequality. whether it is the massive infrastructure development in the country, some of which has benefited mumbai as well through sea bridges and highways being constructed and better connectivity or price rise. none lie is an expensive city to live in and rising prices is resonating with the voters are —— mumbai is. it is a concern. add to that, rising unemployment, especially among the educated youth is something people are talking about. as politicians muscle it out on the stock market in mumbai have been jittery over the last few days, indicating nervousness as we inch closer is closer to the last leg in

this general election. just before we go for this half an hour, let's remind you of our top story. iran's supreme leader, ali khamenei, said on monday that the first vice president mohammad mokhber is in charge of the executive branch and has a maximum period of 50 days to hold elections following the death of president ebrahim raisi in a helicopter crash. five days of national mourning have also been announced. the start of this week is looking largely fine and dry with lots of sunshine but it will turn much more unsettled as we go through the rest of the week. i'll have more details on that in just a moment. this afternoon, we continue with sunny spells for many of us. just the risk of some showers cropping up and those likely towards parts of north wales and through southern areas of england this afternoon. we will see some showers develop here.

also the risk of some thunderstorms and heavy showers towards the west of northern ireland. elsewhere, some cloud across northern england, southern scotland, but still some decent sunny spells with an onshore wind, temperatures 15 to 18 degrees round the north sea coasts. further inland, we will see temperatures once again getting into the 20s. through tonight we will see those showers continuing around the south—east, drifting their way further north. more substantial showers spreading into northern areas of england into tuesday morning. overnight temperatures generally down to about 5 to 10 degrees. but a bit chillier in parts of eastern scotland, where there will be some low cloud, mist, and fog again around the east of scotland and the eastern side of england. some showers around north west and england through tuesday and elsewhere there could be further showers, particularly towards the south—east and through south—western areas of the uk. maximum temperatures down a little bit because there is more cloud around, 17 to 21 degrees. as we go into wednesday and thursday, this area of low pressure here brings very heavy rain, especially

towards northern parts of the uk, northern england into scotland getting the brunt of that very wet weather as we go through the week with that area of low pressure close by. you can see here from the rainfall accumulation chart, where we have got the greens here across north—east scotland. we could see up to nearly 100 millimetres of rain. so there is the risk of some flooding in these northern areas through wednesday and thursday. well worth staying tuned to the forecast. here it is on wednesday, this is the picture. we have got heavy rain spreading into parts of eastern and northern areas of england, into scotland by the end of the day, heavy and thundery showers developing across southern areas on wednesday with sunny spells. temperatures about 17 to 20 celsius. and that very wet weather will continue across northern areas as we go through the rest of this week. furthersouth, it won't be quite as wet. there will be some sunny spells, but it temperatures about 1a to 20 celsius. goodbye.

profits take off at europe's biggest airline — up 34% year on year at ryanair. flush with cash — a damning new report says shareholders at the uk's largest water companies withdrew tens of billions of pounds whilst failing to invest in infrastructure.

lam in i am in mumbai, as the world because my biggest— i am in mumbai, as the world because my biggest election comes to india's financial_ my biggest election comes to india's financial capital. welcome to business today, with me, sally bundock. we start with ryanair, europe's biggest airline by passenger numbers. it's just released its latest earnings that show a 34% jump in full year profits after tax. that's 1.92 billion euros — orjust over $2 billion. ryanair has benefitted from 9% increase in passenger numbers to 184 million over the year, despite delays to its orders of a number of boeing aircraft as higher demand ofset increased fuel costs. let's unpack this with kathleen brooks, research director at xtb.