is among several killed in an explosion in the syrian capital. iranian media blames israel for the attack. and a florida court allows a six week ban on abortion but will give the final say to voters in november. iam sumi i am sumi somaskanda. thank you forjoining us. we start with multiple developments out of the middle east. hamas authorities in gaza say for foreign aid workers and their palestinian driver were killed in an israeli air strike. a medical source at al—aqsa hospital told the bbc that the bodies of four people wearing bullet—proof vests with the logo of world central kitchen arrived at the hospital, the founder saying on x: the idf

also put out a statement, saying: our gaza correspondent rushdi abualouf spent the last two months of the conflict inside the territory, and has more. the information is still very small, still emerging as we speak. but what we know so far is that a car was travelling from north to south and it was near an area in central gaza, it was hit by an air strike according to the hamas run health ministry. local people in the area, there was a big explosion, and it

took them 45 minutes, according took them 45 minutes, according to a doctor in al—aqsa hospital, which i spoke to this evening. he said it was about 45 minutes between the explosion and the bodies arriving at the hospital. there were three foreign nationals with bullet—proof vests with the world central kitchen sign on them and also the palestinian driver was driving them was also killed in the air strike or the explosion. their bodies are now in central gaza hospital, al—aqsa, and there is more investigation and more information that will emerge in the next few hours about what exactly happened, and what's that nationality of those who were killed. but so far, yes, we can confirm at least four people

were killed in that attack. three of them are foreign nationals. meanwhile concerns over a wider regional conflict continue to grow after syrian officials at least 11 people were killed on monday in a suspected israeli strike on the iranian consulate building in the capital, damascus. the irgc says seven officers, including senior commanders, i did. —— are dead. a multistorey building was reduced to rubble. iran has called for a response from the international community. the israeli military has not responded yet. if it was behind the attack it would mark an escalation on iranian targets in the region. of the conflict. jeremy bowen explains injerusalem. a few minutes after the attack, the building in iran's diplomatic compound in a well—off central area of damascus seems to be on fire. the israeli strike destroyed the iranian consulate. it was a precision attack against a senior commander who will have worked hard

to keep his movements secret. despite that, israeli intelligence must have tracked general mohamed reza zahedi to the meeting he was having in damascus. he was the senior iranian general in syria and lebanon — two countries iran regards as critical parts in what it says is its system of forward defence, the so—called axis of resistance. in damascus, the syrian foreign minister said the general and others who died were killed by israel. translation: we strongly condemn this criminal act l carried out by the zionist enemy. these attacks can only be met by further steadfastness, further support for the palestinian people and further resistance whether in iraq or in southern lebanon. and the iranian ambassador to damascus hinted at retaliation. translation: definitely - the zionist regime knows better than anyone that such crimes and violating international law will have its response

in an appropriate time. the raid is the biggest single escalation yet in the deepening war that has been fought since the hamas attacks last october between israel and iran's network of allies here in the north of israel across the border in south lebanon and in the wider middle east. since the beginning of this year, exchanges of fire between israel and hezbollah — the iran—backed militia and political movement in lebanon have become more intense. israeli jets have been raiding deeper into lebanon and syria. in iran tonight, protesters went out onto the streets of tehran, chanting, "death to israel!" the iranian regime believes its security depends on deterring its enemies. the raid on damascus showed that it's not doing that. the question now is what the iranians will do to show that they are not deterred by israel. a response might not be immediate or straightforward and is likely to be calibrated to reflect iran's reluctance to get involved in an all—out war. jeremy bowen, bbc news,

in northern israel. here in washington, senior us and israeli officials held a two—hour virtual meeting to discuss alternative proposals to an israeli military invasion of rafah in the southern gaza strip. to understand what came out of the meeting, i spoke to former us state department official david makovsky. good to have you back on bbc news. i want to start with the joint statement come out of the meeting with israel. it is that the us side expressed concerns over rafah and added, quote:

what do you make of that? can you help us parse what you think that statement means? first of all, good to be with you and good to be with the bbc again. i think what's happened is the us has backed away from the edge when it comes to rafah. israel has agreed to the us idea that needs to be a clear evacuation plan for the 1.4 million palestinians who were in the southern city of rafah, near the egyptian border. so if there is a strike, they're out of harm's way. the question is how long it will take to reach something that is

acceptable to the israeli and american side — that is the question. as opposed to anything that would suggest, you know, the us needs to be satisfied before then would be a strike. you could say it is an issue of sovereign decisions. but i do think that in principle each side wants to do that in a way that is orderly. the us standard about what that requires might be, you know, a higher standard, and it might take longer. david, can ijump in there and ask you, if israel were to proceed with an invasion of rafah, despite us opposition, without taking some of these concerns into account, how would the us respond? look, i think it would be very serious. ifind it hard to believe — israel's not going to do this unless it is able to find a way to get 1.4 million people out of harm's way. to me, that's a given. the question is the us will say it isn't enough to move them, we want to know they have

sanitary conditions, what is the question on freshwater, what is the question on other things, of shelter — all reasonable concerns. here there might be a question of difference of interpretation with israel about what it takes to keep people out of harm's way. and so is it going to take several months, is it going to take a month, is it going to take two months? i think that's — that's the question here. it is a question of the grey zone. a back—and—forth, i hear you saying, david. i want to ask you as well, we're seeing at the same time the us media reporting that the biden administration is considering new weapons sales to israel of fighterjets and missiles, with no conditions attached. could you explain this white house strategy when you hear this different public and private narrative? right. well, i think the president is very focused, you know, when it comes to the strategic

objective, which is topping hamas in power — he hasn't wavered. and also freeing the hostages. where he has differed sharply from israel, notjust in private, is on the humanitarian implications. but not about toppling hamas. he will say he wants israel to have the tools it needs to double hamas, and a lot of attacks are coming from the iranian side, and "i want israel to be able to defend itself from iran and is proxies." there is a national security memorandum that israel needs to certify that their weapons are going to their intended purpose. 0k. they are trying to stave off certain attempts by certain democratic liberals in the senate. criticism indeed. david, one more question for you. we have seen axios reporting that the us security adviserjake sullivan will go to saudi arabia and meet with

crown prince mohammed bin salman. this to discuss a deal including saudi normalisation with israel. do you think that is possible at the moment? this is the $64,000 question. the whole — america has put all its eggs in one basket, which is to get a six—week pause, to get at least 40 of the hostages, of the 40—130 hostages released, and use that kind of quiet to get humanitarian aid into gaza. and at the same time to check if it is possible to do a normalisation deal as part of a saudi defence agreement. that is what the us would like, to pivot to a wider frame of regional normalisation. 0k. that's the goal. i think the trip is very important. david makovsky, greater value on bbc news tonight. thank you very much. any time, thank you all very much.

the first step to restore a sea route into the port of baltimore is under way. this nearly a week after a ship collided with the francis scott key bridge, causing it to collapse, killing six people. in that one of the us' largest ports inaccessible to shipping. the white house is president biden will visit the site where he will expect the damage and speak with state and local officials. on monday, salvage crews removed the first section of the bridge and the us coastguard opened a temporary channel to allow some vessels to pass through to the port. marilyn governor wes moore said crews are working to open a second channel. he spoke earlier about the challenges of such an operation. —— maryland. we need to do more work clearing the channel in order to move forward. i know there is an urgency to move fast. and nobody feels that urgency more than the people standing up here today. but we have to be clear on the risks. this is a steel bridge that is sitting on top of a container ship in the middle of the

pata psco patapsco river. we are talking about tons of steel that is mangled, and water that is so murky and filled with debris that divers can't see more than a foot or two in front of them. a situation were a portion of the bridge beneath the water has been described by unified command as a chaotic wreckage. earlier i spoke with jack bologna, a business and development reporter at the baltimore banner. what impact do you think this will have in relieving how things are at the moment, which is things being close? ., ., , ., close? the ma'ority of the port of baltimore — close? the majority of the port of baltimore is _ close? the majority of the port of baltimore is cut _ close? the majority of the port of baltimore is cut off - close? the majority of the port of baltimore is cut off from - of baltimore is cut off from global shipping at the moment. reopening the channel in any way could hopefully allow for ships to come in and out. right now, i believe, the last kind of shipments are expected to be

unloaded in the next few days. continuing work at the port of baltimore will be huge for the local economy. we baltimore will be huge for the local economy.— baltimore will be huge for the local economy. we know that the ort of local economy. we know that the port of baltimore _ local economy. we know that the port of baltimore is _ local economy. we know that the port of baltimore is a _ local economy. we know that the port of baltimore is a key - port of baltimore is a key economic generatorfor maryland. but economic generator for maryland. but you have been writing about how global shipping routes are already shifting because of the bridge collapsed. tell us what has been happening.— collapsed. tell us what has been happening. yes, i think this has been _ been happening. yes, i think this has been a _ been happening. yes, i think this has been a big _ been happening. yes, i think this has been a big lesson i been happening. yes, i think| this has been a big lesson for us folks locally that the supply chain does adapt very quickly. and while baltimore and maryland really needs the supply chain in terms of its port, supply chains can adapt to other ports throughout the united states. hopefully that means that once the channel is cleared and the port is operational, although ships that called the port of baltimore home for years to return and obviously this is a kind of a big population centre as well as a lot of those shipments will, for sure, i think, go back to the port of baltimore, but ships have

already devoted to other ports, already devoted to other ports, a cruise ship due for baltimore is headed to virginia, so right now we are holding our breath and seeing how quickly we can reopen the channel and how that might impact things long—term. is this a big concern for authorities that global shipping routes are already adjusting on what the impact might be for the local economy, the workers at the port? i think yes, definitely we are expecting to have a lot of port workers out of work pretty soon, as long as the port remains, you know, primarily shut down, but i think there is a lot of long—term hope for the port. it has been doing really well in the last few years and there are multiple major infrastructure projects in the pipeline here and locally that will be able to expand the capability of the port. it does have a long—term bright future. but i think in the near term this could be a serious cause for concern. forthe this could be a serious cause for concern. for the individual workers and their families they could be affected right now.

jack, thank you forjoining us tonight. jack, thank you for “oining us toniaht. . ~ i. jack, thank you for “oining us tonightdaround l jack, thank you for “oining us i tonightdaround the tonight. thank you. around the world and _ tonight. thank you. around the world and across _ tonight. thank you. around the world and across the _ tonight. thank you. around the world and across the uk, - tonight. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this l world and across the uk, this is bbc news. to another story from the uk, energy prices in england, wales, and scotland have fallen to their lowest level in two years. regulated price caps have come into force, meaning that household using a typical amount of energy will pay about £1690 a year, a saving of more than £200. also different in northern ireland, where prices are falling, but experts are urging people to stick to saving habits because bills remain expensive. kevin pg spoke to one expert for her three ships.— three ships. one, your hot water setting, _ three ships. one, your hot water setting, if— three ships. one, your hot water setting, if it - three ships. one, your hot water setting, if it is - three ships. one, your hot water setting, if it is too i three ships. one, your hot i water setting, if it is too hot to wash your hands with, your boiler is too high. drafts from chimneys to windows and doors, manage those drafts, and three, your showers. they should be 1—

four minutes long, less bohemian rhapsody, in the shower, and the £70 a year on water and energy you could say. forecasts by cornwall insights suggest energy rises could fall in the summer before edging back up in the winter. you are watching bbc news. former us president donald trump posted a $175 million bond in his new york civilfraud case. donald trump was originally ordered to pay a full $464 million judgement but an appeals court said he could pay a smaller sum of 175 million if you make the payment within ten days. this is in connection to a ruling in february that found trump inflated the value of his properties. separately tonight, thejudge presiding over his upcoming criminal child expended a gag order on the former president. thejudge said the former president is banned from attacking his family members and those at

manhattan attorney alvin bragg. it came after donald trump wrote about the judge's daughter. donald trump was already ordered not to talk about witnesses, prosecutors, and their relatives. ina in a separate decision in florida, thejudges have florida, the judges have approved florida, thejudges have approved a measure for voters into december whether to allow abortions up to about 24 weeks into a pregnancy. that measure would require 60% of the vote. as many as 13 states could hold similar ballots this year. voters in four states approved abortion rights amendments the us supreme court overturned roe

v wade injune 2022. i spoke to caroline kitchener current national reporter covering abortion at the washington post for more. i want to start with the court in florida upholding a 15 week ban on abortion, paving the way for a six—week band. tell us more about what this does. i band. tell us more about what this does-_ band. tell us more about what this does-— this does. i have been on the -hone this does. i have been on the phone all— this does. i have been on the phone all night _ this does. i have been on the phone all night with - this does. i have been on the phone all night with abortion| phone all night with abortion providers notjust in florida but across the country who are really struggling to put into words the effect this is going to have on abortion access nationwide. already we have clinics in states like illinois and north carolina, the closes access points for people in the south. really struggling to meet demand. now you have this huge stay, and florida is the third most populous state in the country, this huge state that will restrict the procedure. the question and everybody�*s mind is where all these women will go. that everybody's mind is where all these women will go.- these women will go. at the same time _ these women will go. at the same time we _ these women will go. at the same time we also - these women will go. at the same time we also saw - these women will go. at the same time we also saw the l these women will go. at the - same time we also saw the court allowing voters in florida to decide whether to expand

abortion access when they go to the polls in november. so what will this ballot initiative say, what will it do? this could potentially - say, what will it do? this could potentially protect| say, what will it do? ti 3 could potentially protect the right to abortion in the state constitution in florida. that would mean over 60% of floridians to vote that way. —— that would need. it is a powerful moment i think we're going to see, you know, between now and november. you are going to have floridians have to live under this abortion ban for many months and then they will go to the poll and say what they feel about that experience. florida in a presidential race and this is going to add a really, you know, unique and important dynamic to it, the future and of abortion access. —— the future of abortion access. we have seen — future of abortion access. we have seen campaign is other

states be successful when access to abortion is on the ballot and reproductive rights campaigners are celebrating the fact that it will be on the ballot in florida in november. what are the chances of success? i what are the chances of success?— what are the chances of success? ~ , ., ., success? i think it is hard to sa . success? i think it is hard to say. certainly _ success? i think it is hard to say. certainly we _ success? i think it is hard to say. certainly we will- success? i think it is hard to say. certainly we will see i say. certainly we will see massive organising efforts. the difference between florida and many of the other states as there is a higher threshold. it is a 60% rather thanjust, you know, more than half. so that will be a challenge for the organisers. but hearing from abortion rights advocates today, people are very optimistic about this, they feel very confident that this is not, at the six week ban is not something that floridians won't so we will have to wait and see. won't so we will have to wait and see-— won't so we will have to wait and see. �* .., ,., and see. the biden campaign commented _ and see. the biden campaign commented pretty _ and see. the biden campaign commented pretty quickly . and see. the biden campaign l commented pretty quickly after the two decisions from the florida court, criticising the six week ban in florida, and said they would invest in florida as a pathway to victory. florida is a pretty deep red republican state, at

least according to the last elections. will abortion rights be a galvanising factor for voters, there?— be a galvanising factor for voters, there? well, i think, from the _ voters, there? well, i think, from the perspective - voters, there? well, i think, from the perspective of - voters, there? well, i think, from the perspective of the l from the perspective of the biden administration, it probably has it will be directly on the ballot. something we saw in the midterms was when abortion was directly on the ballot, to vote for or against abortion rights, people really did turn out and vote for that. but it didn't necessarily always translate to the candidates, the democratic candidates that were running on abortion. you did the a lot of republican governors in the midterms, some of the most republican demo prominent republican governors signed in bands and then one by landslides. —— some of the most prominent republican governors. whether they can embrace the issue for themselves and help voters understand the connection, but, ithink, in florida, biden won't have to worry about that, because people will be voting on abortion.

people will be voting on abortion-— people will be voting on abortion. quickly with 30 seconds _ abortion. quickly with 30 seconds left, _ abortion. quickly with 30 seconds left, what - abortion. quickly with 30 seconds left, what are i seconds left, what are republicans, the former president saying about a six—week band in florida? the six-week band in florida? the republicans. _ six-week band in florida? the republicans, the _ six—week band in florida? iie: republicans, the republicans that i have heard from on the ground in florida are, you know, extremely happy to hear that, you know, this band is going to take effect. that is an interpretation of the florida constitution they have been making a case for four decades. so i have been hearing from people in florida that they are, you know, very optimistic about this, and despite the ruling of the amendment, they feel they are going to come out on top. caroline kitchenerfrom going to come out on top. caroline kitchener from the washington post, thank you for joining us. washington post, thank you for “oininu us. . ~ washington post, thank you for joining us— joining us. thank you for havin: joining us. thank you for having me- _ joining us. thank you for having me. north - joining us. thank you for having me. north korea| joining us. thank you for- having me. north korea fired a ballistic missile _ having me. north korea fired a ballistic missile according - having me. north korea fired a ballistic missile according to i ballistic missile according to south korea's military. the japanese postcard said the apparent missile had already fallen into the sea outside its exclusive economic zone. north korea's last missile test was on much 18, when kimjohn led a

salvo launch of six rockets at the same time. the equipment is dismissing reports it may be behind the mysterious savannah syndrome illness which has affected us officials for eight years. —— havana syndrome. the us had previously set a foreign power was to blame for the sicknesses, but a newjoint investigation by der spiegel, cbs, and insider has renewed allegations. it says that moscow could be responsible due to intelligence unit been present at a nearby hotel. symptoms of havana syndrome include migraines, nausea, memory lapses, and dizziness. the symptoms were first reported in 2016 by us embassy officials in the cuban capital, havana, which is how the illness received is name. in response, dmitry peskov, kremlin spokesman, denied russian involvement. translation: it is - absolutely not a new issue. for many years an issue

of so—called havana syndrome has been played up in mass media. often it was connected with accusations of russian involvement. but no—one has ever published or expressed any convincing evidence these unfounded accusations anywhere. just a quick update on our top story about the death of four foreign aid workers and one palestinian driver in gaza. hamas authorities say and is really a straight guilty workers and writers is reporting that the australian prime minister confirmed the death of one of the people killed. —— hamas authorities say an israeli air strike killed the workers and reuters.

stay with us on bbc news. hello there. easter monday brought a day of mixed fortunes, and it's going to be a similar story throughout the week. now, across eastern england, we had some sunshine and where it stayed dry, it was relatively warm — 16 degrees, 61 fahrenheit. but cloud and rain pushing its way steadily northwards. it stayed rather grey and overcast in western scotland, withjust a high of 5 celsius here. now, that weatherfront is going to linger, weakening all the time. but a brisk northeasterly wind will dominate the story across the far north of scotland. clearer skies for a time, early morning mist and fog, perhaps, for england and wales. some showers easing away from the southeast. but eventually, as we go through the day, we'll start to see some outbreaks of rain pushing into the southwest. and as this front gradually moves its way north, the winds will strengthen here. but ahead of it, with some sunny spells injust a few isolated showers, one or two spots, again, could see temperatures into the mid—teens. not a bad afternoon with a few isolated showers for northern ireland. scotland will stay rather grey and overcast, with outbreaks of showery rain, and that brisk north—easterly wind at times will make it feel rather cool, just a maximum of 6—8 celsius. now, we'll see that frontal

system down to the south—west, bringing some wet and windy weather through the night tuesday into the early hours of wednesday morning. the wind direction coming from the south—west, so it will be a mild start to wednesday, with double figures perhaps likely across the far southeast. but we will see outbreaks of rain gradually pushing their way steadily northwards. the wind direction here is south—westerly, so driving in some milder air, but we still keep that north—easterly feed in scotland — a real contrast with the temperatures over the next few days. so we're looking at 5—7 degrees across the far north—east, highs of 15, possibly 16 degrees once again, somewhere across south and eastern england. now, towards the end of the week, low pressure is going to continue to dominate, but still that wind source coming all the way from the southwest. so it will be mild, but it will still continue to be pretty wet at times. but the mild air sitting across the vast majority, still the far north—east of scotland staying on the cooler side. so, here, those temperatures will struggle a little, but there'll be showers or longer spells of rain. when we get some brightness, temperatures are going to respond.

take care.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme.

cate blanchett really is one of the world's most successful actors. she's won notjust one but two academy awards. brought up originally in australia, she's returned to her roots for her latest film, the new boy, which she's also produced. it's the story of a young boy from an indigenous background who's kidnapped and then forced to live in a catholic orphanage. cate blanchett, welcome to the arts interview. thank you. so i wanted to begin byjust getting you to explain the whole idea of new boy. well, it's a film by warwick thornton, who's one of australia's great directors. he's a cinematographer, he's a writer, and this is a film that's intensely personal that he's sort of wrote 20 years ago from personal experience, and then it's been extrapolated out from there. but in a nutshell, it's set on a remote monastery