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Its Foreign Minister, israel katz, has described the situation as a war that must be won. A senior palestinian official has accused israel of trying to escalate the war in gaza and warned of Dire And Dangerous results. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has cut short a visit to Saudi Arabia because of the attacks. Lets take a closer look at the West Bank and what It Actually is. Its land on the West Bank of the riverjordan and bounded by israel and jordan. Its been occupied by israel since the 1967 Middle East war, but decades of talks between israel and the palestinians have left its final status unresolved. 0ur Middle East correspondent, lucy williamson, has just sent this update from jenin. There are israeli jeeps, israeli armoured vehicles moving around the entrance tojenin� s Government Hospital behind me. You can see an ambulance coming through now as well. The Hospital Entrance Isjust behind this Army Vehicle here. Staff inside the hospital say that since last night, the army has surrounded the building. And is searching anyone who wants to leave. This street, deserted now, one of the main roads through the town, has seen this kind of activity so many times since the hamas attacks last october. But this operation, looks a bit different, it is a part of a wider, coordinated operation across the northern West Bank. These kinds of operations going on in several cities. What is not entirely clear at the moment is why this operation is taking place now. The kind of extensive operation that People here havent seen in decades. Israels Foreign Minister says it is a Counterterrorism Operation against what he calls Terrorist Infrastructure backed by iran. But over the past ten months, these cities have had weekly incursions by the Israeli Army, it is not clear what has changed in terms of their targeting, in terms of their methods. And the palestinian authorities are warning that continued violence here is going to have Dire And Dangerous consequences. The Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, i have been talking to him and he said the Military Operation in the West Bank is a Grave Violation of international law. It Grave Violation of international law. It is the [arc est international law. It is the largest military international law. It is the largest Military Operation | international law. It is the l largest Military Operation in the West Bank since 2002 and it is clear the Israeli Army is trying to bring the war of genocide and Ethnic Cleansing from desert to the West Bank. Although the West Bank is under israeli occupation since 1767, so what you see is a unilateral war, attacking the civilian population in the West Bank, they are using Military Arsenic to attack People under occupation which is a Grave Violation of international law. Just now the Israeli Army declared they have made orders to the population of a Refugee Camp, you are talking about thousands of People, to evacuate their houses and homes completely. It is exactly like they have done in gaza where they have done in gaza where they forced People to be displaced and to leave their homes and become refugees again, and especially these People in this Refugee Camp are already displaced by israel 76 years ago in 19118. Flan already displaced by israel 76 years ago in 1948. Years ago in 1948. Can i Ust Oint to years ago in 1948. Can i Ust Point to Mi Years ago in 1948. Can i Ust Point to you what i years ago in 1948. Can i Ust Point to you what the h years ago in 1948. Can i justl point to you what the israelis are saying, they are saying this is a Counterterrorism Operation, a Military Spokesperson saying this Operation Today follows a sharp rise in militant activity in recent months with more than hundred 50 attacks involving shooting or explosives in the last year, and the military assessing that as an immediate threat to civilians, he said. How many israelis were killed during the last year . In reality most of the People killed our palestinians, more than 660 palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including more than 160 children by the Israeli Army, and by the illegal settlers. They act as gangs under the protection of the Israeli Army and have been responsible for most of the violence in the West Bank. This is not the way to treat the situation, you cannot use Army Attacks and air against a civilian Population Thatis against a civilian population that is under your occupation. That is totally unacceptable. In our opinion this is the exact behaviour of this fascist israeli government which wants to annex the West Bank and conduct Ethnic Cleansing. These are not my words, these are the words of ministers in israel like the Minister Of Finance and the governor of the West Bank, and the ministerfor interior security. These are People in the government. That is what they declared continuously. So many times they have said they will not allow palestinians to have the freedom and a state of their own. By conducting a war on the civilian population, it is clearly to annex the West Bank and kill any opportunity for palestinians to be free from this occupation. This occupation. That is the view of the this occupation. That is the I View of the secretarygeneral view of the Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative who was talking to me a little bit earlier on on bbc news. Lets speak to our diplomatic correspondent paul adams. There has increasing violence in the West Bank since the conflict in gaza erupted but the israeli military have gone in very hard with this operation, the biggest operation, the biggest operation for some 20 years in the West Bank. Why do you think now . Why have they done it now . I think essentially because they feel the situation in the West Bank is in danger of spiralling out of control. We saw the violent incidents particularly around the Jenin Refugee particularly around thejenin Refugee Camp, that particularly around the jenin Refugee Camp, that was the first indication there were young groups of Armed Militants who did not have the traditional loyalties to any of the palestinian factions, who in many cases where the offspring or relatives of People in the Palestinian Authority or hamas, and they were starting to take the law into their own hands in their own neighbourhoods, largely in Refugee Camps. That is now spread to other places where there are Refugee Camps, more recently tu bas. There are Refugee Camps, more recently tubas. Those are places where the Israeli Army has gone in and this latest operation, which is one of the largest in the West Bank for a long time, and it is indicative of the fact that it is a belief in the idf that unless it gets a handle on these groups, then there is a very real danger of violence spreading and possibly becoming another generalised uprising, something the israeli military would be extremely keen to avoid. But there are a whole range of factors way back decades that have accelerated in recent months to do with settlements, the violence perpetrated by a young generation ofjewish settlers in the West Bank. On the big things are adding to an incredibly combustible atmosphere. It incredibly combustible atmosphere. Incredibly combustible atmoshere. ,. , atmosphere. It means that effectively atmosphere. It means that effectively the atmosphere. It means that effectively the idf atmosphere. It means that effectively the idf are effectively the idf are fighting on three fronts, in gaza against hamas, on the border with lebanon against hezbollah and in the West Bank as well. In hezbollah and in the West Bank as well. W hezbollah and in the West Bank as well. ,. , ~ hezbollah and in the West Bank as well. ,. , ~. , as well. In fact if you talk to benjamin as well. In fact if you talk to Benjamin Netanyahu as well. In fact if you talk to Benjamin Netanyahu he as well. In fact if you talk to Benjamin Netanyahu He Willj as well. In fact if you talk to Benjamin Netanyahu he will tell you israel is fighting on seven fronts, i cant quite remember what those are, but those three are the main ones. 0ne what those are, but those three are the main ones. One thing thatis are the main ones. One thing that is where the observers point out is an influence of iran and all three fronts, and they point to the influence of iran when it comes to money and smuggled weapons on the West Bank. They believe iran has an interest, just as it does in Lebanon And Gaza in maintaining a level of hostility to israel. As widely as possible. That is another factor, as widely as possible. That is anotherfactor, which i think its playing into the idf� s calculations. They feel they are dealing with an enemy which lacks the traditional allegiance to one of the main palestinian factions and which, behind the scenes, is being backed by iranian money. You mention to backed by iranian money. You mention to jewish backed by iranian money. You mention to jewish settlers and mention tojewish settlers and some of the attacks they have been carrying out. It is a really increasingly combustible situation in the West Bank. Even some is Covenant Ministers talking about annex in the West Bank. , ~ talking about annex in the West Bank. ~. ,. ~ talking about annex in the West Bank. ~. ,. , ~ , bank. That kind of talk is siml bank. That kind of talk is simply going bank. That kind of talk is simply going to bank. That kind of talk is simply going to fuel bank. That kind of talk is simply going to fuel all. Bank. That kind of talk is| simply going to fuel all of bank. That kind of talk is simply going to fuel all of the violence and the uncertainty that we are dealing with at the moment. Everything palestinians in the West Bank will tell you has got worse since october at the seventh. Violence perpetrated byjewish settlers, efforts to drive palestinians away from their traditional homes, more and more proposed new settlements or extensions ofjewish settlements proposed Ijy Ofjewish Settlements proposed by the israeli government, and an increasing heavy handed approach by the israeli military which feels it needs to crack down hard before the Situation Spirals out of control, this is a very dangerous situation indeed. We have seen the us administration and the british government taking Action Againstjewish militant settlers, imposing sanctions on a handful of individuals, there is the possibility those moves could go for further, those possibility those moves could go forfurther, those moves could include members of israel right wing government. But at the moment we are seeing a situation which some People fear could rival the war in gaza, in terms of the intensity of warfare that is going on at the moment any handful of locations, but potentially any much more widespread fashion. Thank you very much for your analysis. Meanwhile. Residents from a Bedouin Village in israel have welcomed back a hostage rescued in the gaza strip. Kaid Farhan Elkadi was taken by Hamas On October the seventh. He worked for many years as a Security Guard Close to the israel gaza border, where he was abducted 10 months ago. He was embraced by those from the rahat area, where hes orginally from. The british Prime Minister has been meeting the german chancellor In Berlin. Sir Keir Starmer was welcomed by 0laf Scholz before holding a news conference, where he announced a new Uk Germany treaty calling It A � once in Generation Chance to deliver for working People. � both leaders say they hope to sign it by The End of the year. Germany laid out the Red Carpet for the british Prime Minister who will head to paris later for talks with french president , emmanuel macron, on thursday. In the news conference, Sir Keir Starmer outlined the aims of the treaty and touched on many shared goals. He also said he wants to turn a corner on brexit. A new Uk Germany treaty, a once in a Generation Chance to deliverfor in a Generation Chance to deliver for working People in a Generation Chance to deliverfor working People in britain and in germany, a new agreement, a testament to the depths of the potential of our relationship with deeper links on science, technology, development, People, business, culture, a boost to our trading relations. 0ur Chief Political Correspondent Henry Zeffman is travelling with the Prime Minister In Berlin and sent this report. The Press Conference between Sir Keir Starmer and his german counterpart, 0laf Scholz, has just broken up after Keir Starmer� s first official visit here to germany as Prime Minister. And the warm words from Keir Starmer pretty familiar. Reset. Thats the word he always uses when he meets a european leader. But what i was most struck by there was the warmth of the words from 0laf Scholz in return. He said, we want to take this hand that has been reached out to us, and that is clearly the tone under which both sides are beginning. The negotiations for this treaty, a treaty between the uk and germany, which they say they will sign within six months. Thats pretty rapid. But what will it mean . Is it rapid because it wont include a lot . I think were no further really towards answering that question. Keir starmer said its going to include cooperation on trade, on defence, on illegal migration, on biodiversity, on pretty much everything that the uk and germany cooperate on. But what will that actually amount to in terms of changing the relationship, and how much can it change the relationship when germany, of course, remains at the heart of the European Single Market and Customs Union . Its not clear, but we will find out within six months. Donald trump has called It An attempt to resurrect a dead witch hunt. The former president was talking about the news that prosecutors in the us Department Ofjustice have revised their charges against him of Election Interference the claim that he illegally tried to overturn his Defeat Tojoe Biden four years ago. Prosecutors have been forced to reconsider their case against mr trump, after the Supreme Court ruled that former president s have partial immunity from criminal prosecution. The language of the allegations now refers to his status as a political candidate rather than sitting president. Cbs correspondent Jarred Hill told me about the significance of the revised charges. Well, these charges are an effort by the Special Counsel, by the prosecutor to try and get around this supreme Court Ruling that came downjust last month, that stated that president s have some sort of broad immunity when it comes to anything done as an official act of their office. And so what were seeing here is the Special Counsel taking out some references to things like the former president speaking with the Department Ofjustice at the time to try and get them to investigate what were faulty claims of widespread voter fraud, as well as things like him speaking to then Vice President Mike Pence about some of these issues, again, trying to get around the sort of legal hurdles that were created by the Supreme Court. This is the first time that weve seen this come up. Likely, this will end up going through various stages of appeals and efforts by the trump legal team to try and get this tossed out as well on those grounds, again, that a president needs to have immunity. And theyre making the argument that all this was done while he was president. And so all of this should be null and void. And what do you think all of this does politically to the race for the White House between trump and Kamala Harris . Because we know it is so close at the moment. Yeah. Thats right. So i mean, The Big Question is going to be whether this is any sort of a boon or a bust for former President Trump when it comes to folks actually going out to the polls in november. But also remember, early voting is going to be starting in a lot of these states. Even before then, some of the earliest ballots are going to be going out within the next couple of weeks, so folks can start to do those and then send them in for absentee. What weve seen in the past, though, is that none of these charges or any of these cases or convictions have really negatively impacted former President Trump in the polls when it came to republicans in particular. Now, obviously, that was when there was a different candidate that he was running against, a different opponent. Thats Whenjoe Biden was still in the race, instead of Vice President Kamala Harris. But republicans, by and large, have been really sticking behind former President Trump. And the question is going to be if that continues going forward. And just briefly on the race, whats what are the polls saying . Whats the latest from the Opinion Polls. Yeah. So the latest Opinion Polls. And i think its always good to remember that the Opinion Polls are sort of a gauge of what People were thinking at the time that the polls were taken, not necessarily whats going to happen in the election, but what were seeing right now is that there still is this really tight race, in particular in these Battleground States that are going to be important. Seven states in particular, that will be important come november. Where thats likely going to be the case that we see this election decided. And between Vice President harris and former President Trump, theyre in a statistical Neck And Neck dead heat at this point. And so the question is going to be if either one of these candidates can get enough of those sort of soft voters who may have been hesitant to actually show up to the polls, hesitant to show up to vote if they can push them to the polls come november so that they can push them Over The Edge and win the election. To stay with us. You are watching bbc news. Here in the uk, doctors are calling on the government to ban flavoured and disposable vapes to protect children against what they say is a growing epidemic. A bill aimed at restricting the Sale And Marketing of vapes, especially to children, Ran Out Of Time to pass into law under the last government. The British Medical Association says bold action is needed. Heres our health reporter, michelle roberts. According to the latest estimates, around 8 of 11 to 17 year olds vape. Although its already illegal to sell E Cigarettes to anyone under 18, the British Medical Association says more needs to be done and quickly to protect children and young People from a vape epidemic. The bma wants disposable vapes and all flavoured ones to be banned. Its also calling for kerbs on how vapes are marketed and sold, similar to cigarettes, with plain packaging and products kept behind the counter. If youre stopping smoking, you need a tobacco flavoured vape to just transfer from one to another. There is no need for any of the colourants or any of the flavourings that we see at the moment. We dont want to see them advertised in an open forum. Theres no point in having a shiny bubble gum flavour, its just about providing a quIt Aid. The Uk Vaping Industry Association agrees that stronger measures are needed to cut off the supply of Youth Vaping and illicit products, but it fears bans could lead to People using the Black Market and harms stop smoking progress. What wed like to see and have been campaigning for many years is to see an introduction of Vape Licensing for both retailers and wholesalers. That would include things like robust Age Verification processes, for instance. Then also we need to combine that with increased fines. And wed like to see, as an industry, minimum fines of £10,000 Per Instance for anybody caught selling to a minor. In february, the conservative government introduced a tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aimed to restrict access for children but not adult smokers trying to quit. However, parliament was dissolved for the election before the law could be passed. When labour took over, It Announced that it would reintroduce the bill. Were seeing in schools across the country, in Bus Stops and in Town Centres at The End of School Billows of smoke from young People who are consuming vapes, often with really, really high levels of nicotine. And thats before we talk about the illegal vapes that we know exist within our country, which contain drugs which can cause real harm to young People. Government says its always been clear that children and adult nonsmokers should never vape, and that the tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes from deliberately being branded and advertised to appeal to children. Michelle roberts, bbc news. Lets get some of the days other news now. Leaders from Pacific Island states have endorsed a regional Policing Plan funded by australia. Its aimed at reducing chinas growing Security Presence in the area. Training centres will be set up in four countries and officers could be dispatched to parts of the pacific in the event of a crisis. China signed a Security Pact with Solomon Islands last year, which has expressed concern about the australian proposals. The united states says a tanker in the Red Sea which was recently attacked by houthi fighters appears to be leaking oil and could cause an environmental catastrophe. The greek flagged sounion has been on fire off the coast of yemen since last week. A us spokesman said tugs sent to salvage the vessel had been threatened with violence by the houthis. Nfl Team Owners have voted to allow private Equity Investment for the first time. The decision marks a significant shift in the way American Football is funded, and is likely to put billions of dollars into the sport. Historically, franchises have been run as Family Businesses or owned by wealthy individuals. But now private equity firms will be able to acquire up to a ten Percent Stake in a team. The olympic ceremony of the Paralympic Games isjust the olympic ceremony of the Paralympic Games is just a few hours away, it is taking place in paris of wednesday evening. This is the seen life of the iconic eiffel tower. It is going to be a ceremony held outside a stadium for the first time, athletes taking part in what has been described as a Peoples parade travelling past some of the pariss most iconic landmarks. Hello again. Weve had some heavy showers this morning, particularly so across wales and southwest england. Now, as we go through today, the Weather Front responsible for that will still be with us. Here it is here its moving northwards and eastwards. Its the dregs of yesterdays Weather Front. And then we have another one coming in across the northwest, introducing some heavy showers for Northern Ireland and western scotland. And you may well hear the Odd Rumble of thunder from those too. But in between these two areas, a lot of dry weather, some sunshine, areas of cloud floating around at times, but it will feel quite warm in the southeastern corner. We could reach 28 degrees today, fresher across the northwest where were looking at 15 to about 18 degrees. Now, through this evening and overnight, everything pushes into the North Sea. Well have clear skies for a time, but then further showers come in across Northern Ireland and also western scotland, accompanied by breezy conditions. And its going to be a fresher Night Tonight than it was last night. 0vernight lows, 9 to about 13 degrees. So we start tomorrow on a largely dry note with some sunshine, but well have the showers continuing across Northern Ireland, Pushing Eastwards across scotland. We could even see a few getting into northern england. But move southwards, were into drier and sunnier conditions and were looking at highs up to 23. So as i mentioned, feeling fresher. Then as we move through the week, on friday, we could start with a little bit of mist across parts of scotland, Northern Ireland and northern england, but again, a lot of dry weather around. Therell be areas of cloud coming in from the North Sea, at times with an onshore breeze, and temperatures 14 to about 24 degrees, so those temperatures slowly starting to come up. Then into the weekend. High pressure still firmly in charge of our weather. This Weather Front here could bring some showers into Southern England later on sunday and overnight into monday. But on saturday, first of all, still a lot of dry weather around. Fair bit of sunshine. Some cloud at times coming in from the North Sea and up from france. That may well affect the temperatures. Looking at 22 degrees as our Top Temperature in london, 21 in glasgow, and then as we head into the outlook period, for sunday, starting with some Mist And Fog as well. Its later on sunday we could see some showers coming in, but a lot of settled weather too, with a few showers as we head through the new working week. Live from New York at the Opening Bell this is business today. Its nvidia day. Anticipation looms large for second quarter earnings from the maker of Ai Chips plus Battle Of The Giants is it time to call a truce in the streaming wars . And how barbie mania is driving a Come Back in Flip Phones in the uk. Welcome to business today, im Michelle Fleury live from New York. Where us financial markets have inched at the open as traders hold their breath ahead of results from the markets most important stock. More than any other, one name is powering the Ai Revolution and thats nvidia, led by ceo jensen huang. Wall street will be scrutinising its numbers when it reports quarterly earnings after todays us market close. The company which makes the chips needed for Artificial Intelligence has seen its Share Price almost triple in the last year. Its fate directly reflects how much other companies are investing in al development. So is the Ai Boom still on . Or is It A bubble . To discuss this further im joined by malcolm penn, Chairman Ceo of future horizons. Thank you forjoining us. How strong do you think demand