The International Criminal court has opened a formal investigation into allegations of war crimes in the palestinian territories. It will look into events in the Israeli Occupied west bank, eastjerusalem and gaza strip sincejune 2014. Paul hawkins reports. Is this a war crime . Palestinian homes in the occupied west bank demolished by israel to make way for israeli homes, homes which the un says are illegal. Israel disagrees. The icc will now formally investigate if this is a war crime. So too israels Military Occupation in gaza. This was 2015 with the clashes on the border with israel. The icc will also look into alleged palestinian war crimes, like hamas Firing Rockets into israel during the 2014 war. The icc� s announcement comes after a five year preliminary investigation. It says it has the jurisdiction to investigate because the palestinians signed up to the court in 2015, so it will now investigate events in the Israeli Occupied west bank, eastjerusalem and gaza strip sincejune 2014. We hope the International Community will also co operate, rather than try to obstruct the investigation and interrogation against this fascist and racist israeli policies against the palestinian people. Israel however, has never signed up to the court. Its Prime Minister calling the investigation absurd and undiluted Anti Semitism. Without any jurisdiction, they decided that our brave soldiers, who take every precaution to avoid civilian casualties, against the worst terrorists in the world, who deliberately target civilians, its our soldiers who are war criminals. Privately however, it is understood israel is worried about the prospect of arrest of its officers or politicians of their travel abroad. Behind the scenes concerned officials are working to offset and limit its impact by trying to show that israel can investigate itself. Its closest ally, the us, also fails to recognise the icc, recently placing sanctions on icc� s chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda for her decision to investigate alleged us war crimes in afghanistan. We firmly oppose and are disappointed by the icc prosecutors announcement of an investigation into the palestinian situation. Fatou bensouda has promised investigation will be independent, impartial and objective, but it is likely to be carried out by her successor, a british lawyer, karim khan, who replaces her as she prosecutor injune. Paul hawkins, bbc news. For the second day running, brazil has posted a record death toll from covid19. In the past 2a hours, 1,910 people have died from the virus. The country is the worst hit in the world after the us, with more than a quarter of a million fatalities to date and its a situation that experts warn is going to get worse in the coming weeks. 0ur South America Correspondent Katy Watson reports from sao brazils gravediggers are on the frontline in this deepening crisis. Witnesses to the growing number of dead, with no sign of any let up. Hospitals right across the country are struggling to contain a virus. Some patients are being transferred to different states to get treatment. Up and down brazil, Intensive Care Units are for. Most experts agree that brazil never really came out of its first wave, by the numbers are spiking again, and much of the blame has been put on the new variant, so called p1, originally found in the amazon, now spread beyond brazils orders. The president has remained largely silent, only speaking out to criticise the media for creating panic. He has slammed Lockdown Measures and said people would die of hunger or depression if they were made to stay at home. Interview that many people here share. � , � � share. Translation im worried. Share. Translation im worried, but share. Translation im worried, but we share. Translation im worried, but we have share. Translation im worried, but we have a i share. Translation im| worried, but we have a lot share. Translation im i worried, but we have a lot of physical and psychological needs. We need to work, we need to go out on the street and make our money and are now bread. ~. ,. , ,. , bread. With no leadership from the to , bread. With no leadership from the ton. Local bread. With no leadership from the top, local politicians bread. With no leadership from the top, local politicians are. The top, local politicians are taking measures to protect the people. From this weekend, sao paolo, the countrys wealthy estate were partially shut down for two weeks, with only essential Services Remaining open. The governor made clear his disdain for the way the president is handling the pandemic. President is handling the andemic. ~ , ~ , pandemic. Translation it is not the medias pandemic. Translation it is not the medias fault pandemic. Translation it is not the medias fault that pandemic. Translation it is not the medias fault that the | not the medias fault that the president , just as it is not the fault of the media, but not only are you incompetent in brazil, a pariah in the world, to have the humility to admit your failures, to have the humility to admit yourfailures, to admit to have the humility to admit your failures, to admit to the resiliency were buried because you are not able to do your duty, defending the lives and health of brazilians. This Pandemic Health of brazilians. This pandemic has health of brazilians. This pandemic has become i health of brazilians. This pandemic has become deeply political. Not only that, but the combination of the new variant, a slow Vaccination Programme and no plan to steer the country out of crisis means experts are warning the coming weeks are said to be even worse. Police at the Capitol Building in washington say they have intelligence showing a possible plot to breach the complex again on thursday. The plot is said to be linked to a far right militia. March 11th is the day that some qanon followers believe donald trump will return to take power again. Extra security is being put in place, and the House Of Representatives has decided not to meet on thursday. Heres an fbi counterterrorism official warning of the threats posed by extremists in the united states. Looking forward, we assess the domestic violent extremists that will continue to pose a threat of violence to the us, we expect racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists and Anti Government violent extremists will very likely pose the greatest terrorism threats about 2021 and in fact leading into 2022. Leon panetta was secretary of defense as well as head of the cia. He told me why the Capitol Police are taking this threat so seriously. I think we have learned a lot of lessons since january 6th and that is the reason this intelligence has been regarded as an important element to alerting the congress as to his this potential threat, but i doubt whether we will see a repeat of the events that took place on january six. But how serious a threat do you think it is . I dont question the nature of the threat, and i think because there are questions about the level of intelligence that was provided prior to the january 6 situation, im sure they are looking very closely at the credibility of the intelligence that they have, and it probably does indicate that there is an Extremist Group that regards march 11th as the legitimate inauguration day, im sure thats what they are basing this on, that they regard it as the day when donald trump could in fact be inaugurated. That is what is driving them, and because of that, rather than taking anything for granted, as we did onjanuary 6, and i think it resulted in a failure of security and a failure of action to try to prevent those occurrences, i think there is an overabundance of awareness that we have got to take every bit of intelligence seriously, and protect our capital from any repetition of what happened onjanuary 6. Im sure you dont need reminding but lets recap, Onjanuary 6th there to have been a serious event to overturn by force a democratic election, a serious attempt to lynch the Vice President , five people died and many senators in fear of their lives and the president was impeached. What lessons do you think have been learned from all of that . United nations officials have expressed alarm at what they call a shocking escalation in violence in myanmar they say 38 people were killed on wednesday alone. That is the worst day of bloodshed since the military coup on february 1st. Thereve been mass demonstrations across myanmar since the military overturned the Election Result United Nations officials have expressed alarm at what they call a shocking escalation in violence in myanmar they say 38 people were killed on wednesday alone. That is the worst day of bloodshed since the military coup on february 1st. Thereve been mass demonstrations across myanmar since the military overturned the Election Result and seized control. Just a warning, this report from our South East Asia correspondent, jonathan head, does contain disturbing scenes. The conflict in myanmar is now a battle for control of individual neighbourhoods. Residents and protesters barricading themselves in. Police and soldiers sweeping through to get people off the streets. And sometimes shooting at those brave enough to film from their apartments. Gunshot. Here, the Protest Organisers use Fire Extinguishers to obscure the view, to try to avoid being shot. Because that is what the military government is prepared to do to reassert its control. United nations officials have expressed alarm because that is what the military government is prepared to do to reassert its control. This was 19 year old ginsen today, in mandalay. Her t shirt reads, everything will be ok, but she also carried a label with her blood group, in case she was hurt. She was killed when a bullet struck her head. Here in the city of monywa, the police were filmed as they dragged away another victim. The Security Forces are also arresting large numbers of people. In this neighbourhood, it seemed, arresting every resident they caught. And they exercise little restraint. This Security Camera video shows three medical volunteers being savagely beaten. If there is a strategy in these shocking scenes, it is perhaps to crush whats now a nationwide rebellion with brute force, in the hope that the rest of the world will in time accept the reality of Military Rule once more in myanmar. Jonathan head, bbc news. President joe biden has called the decision by texas and mississippi to drop mask wearing requirements Neanderthal Thinking. He warned that Relaxing Rules Prematurely Will Put American Advances In The Battle Against Covid 19 at risk. But a number of states are ignoring that warning ploughing ahead to re invigorate their stalling economies. Heres president biden, in the oval office. I hope everybody� s realised by now these masks make a difference. We are on the cusp of being able to fundamentally change the nature of this disease because of the way in which we were able to get vaccines in peoples arms. Weve been able to move that all the way up to the end of may to have enough for every american, to get every adult american to get a shot. And the last thing, the last thing we need is Neanderthal Thinking that in the meantime, everythings fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters. Ajudge in a judge in Canada Ajudge in canada has added multiple murder convictions to a man who drove a van into pedestrians in toronto in 2018. Alek minassian killed ten people and heard another 16. He faces a 25 yearjail term. He argued that he was not criminally responsible for his actions by lawyers failed to condense thejudge actions by lawyers failed to condense the judge autism exonerated him. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come two rare pieces of armour lost for a0 years on display again in the louvre. First, the plates slid gently off the restaurant tables. Then suddenly, the tables, the chairs and people crashed sideways and downwards, and it was just a matter of seconds as the ferry lurched onto her side. The hydrogen bomb. On a remote pacific atoll, The Americans had successfully tested a weapon whose explosive force dwarfed that of the bomb dropped on hiroshima. I had heard the news earlier, and so my heart went bang, bang, bang the Constitutional Rights of these marchers are their rights as citizens of the united i states, and they should be protected even in the right. To test them out, so that they dont get their heads broken and are sent to hospital. This religious controversy i know you dont want to say too much about it but does it worry you that its going to boil up when you get to the states . Well, it worries me, yes, but i hope everything will be all right in the end, as they say. This is bbc world news, the latest headlines the International Criminal court is opening a formal investigation into war crimes in the palestinian territories. Brazil has registered a record 1910 covid deaths for a second day. It is expected to get worse in coming weeks. Buckingham palace says its � very concerned by reports that the duchess of sussex was accused of bullying her staff during her time at kensington palace. The claims were made by former staff of harry and meghan and the palace says it will investigate the circumstances. For her part, the duchess was said to be � saddened by reports of a Bullying Complaint which was seen as the � latest attack on her character. 0ur royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell has more. What is the truth . Is meghan, the woman who was warmly welcomed when she married prince harry, now the victim of a calculated Smear Campaign by the establishment . Or was it the case that, as the duchess of sussex, her behaviour became unreasonable and that her staff were driven to distraction . There were strains within the sussex household. Its a matter of record that Staff Members left, and now a highly revealing e mail has been obtained by the times. It was written in late 2018 by jason knauf, the couples communication secretary, to simon case. Hes now the cabinet secretary, no less. In it, knauf is reported to have written in response, the duchess spokesman has said Buckingham Palace has said its very concerned about the allegations. Its setting up an inquiry. Former members of staff will be invited to participate. The palace statement concluded so, why have these allegations emerged just four days before the sussexes� interview with Oprah Winfrey is broadcast in america . Apparently its because former members of staff, some of whom im told feel very bruised, believe that an incomplete picture of the duchess is being presented. Her supporters of course will continue to believe that she is the real victim. Nicholas witchell, bbc news, Buckingham Palace. Conservationists are calling for more efforts to save critically endangered vultures across africa. 0f 11 Vulture Species on the continent, 7 are on the verge of extinction. Poisoning is seen as the major cause of the Population Decline over the past 3 decades. 0ne species in kenya the Bearded Vulture has seen numbers dwindle to fewer than 5 individuals. Anne 0kumu reports. It is feast time in 0l Pejeta Conservancy in laikipia county, central kenya. The carcass these vultures are consuming might be safe but the next one might be their last. These Birds Of Prey are facing extinction. Theyre being poisoned by the locals. The cliff up there, we used to have breeding colonies of Bearded Vultures, of egyptian vultures and ruppell� s vultures. Currently there are no Breeding Vultures that we know of up there. These vultures are the victim of a vicious never ending conflict between humans and wildlife. The majority of people who live here are pastoralists and they are forced to go to greater lengths to keep their livestock safe, including poisoning carcasses hoping to kill predators like lions, but more often vultures are caught in the trap. They are dying in droves after Eating Carcasses laced with deadly pesticides. Conservationists say the effect on the ecosystem could be dire. We have done some studies actually to show when you lose the vultures, you get a lot more hyenas, dogs. Theyre not as well adapted to cleaning up the carcasses so basically we are at risk of higher transmission of diseases as some of these carcasses when we lose the vultures. Here, the majority of the Community Members live alongside the conservancy, they say theyre forced to poison carcasses as one way of protecting the animals. This is one of the bomas around here that have been under attack by lions, cheetahs and leopards in recent days. Right now, the People Living there have gone to look for their camels. Around two or three of them escaped last night out of fear from lions hunting around here. The peregrine fund, a non profit organisation, is trying to teach communities how to protect themselves and their livestock without endangering the vultures. It trains pastoralists on how to dispose of poisoned carcasses by burning. It also teaches them how to build shades as well as erect dim lights to scare away wild animals. There are three weaknesses they need to cover for any livestock enclosure. Usually it is the door, what you can see here is very sturdy and very strong wooden door. The other thing is the top part. Usually, many bomas, especially those just made of vegetation, are just easy to depress and for the predator to climb in. The other weakness of a boma is usually the bottom bit. Hyenas will not climb, they will bury underneath and get into the enclosure. For martin and darcy, the quest to save the declining Vulture Population in kenya remains undeterred. Their only hope that the Vulture Population will not be lost in its entirety. Anne 0kumu, bbc africa laikipia. Now to manhattan, where the streets have come alive with the sound of music, not from Concert Halls but from abandoned shops. Its part of a programme thats transformed storefronts into performance spaces, giving some of the citys top musicians the chance to perform live for the first time in months. The bbc� s tom brook has the story. From his home in upstate new york, 33 year old violinist sean lee has spent the most of past years stuck indoors practising alone. Its been tough. The amount of deprivation really, you know, to spend so much time without contact, i just love that whole energy of the concert stage. But recently, sean lee travelled the 150 miles down to New York City to finally perform live before an audience at a unique showcase organised by the musical Storefronts Program. Inside an abandoned Womens Clothing store on broadway manhattan, sean performed from paganinis 2a caprices. 0n the other side of the shop window, passers by stopped, transfixed. They watched and listened to his music relayed by loudspeakers placed on the street. It was definitely a covid 19 safe setup. Sean was a bit worried about the prospect of performing. Having not performed for a handful of months, i was a bit nervous, you know, how was i going to feel to have eyes on me again . But the minute i started playing, all of that disappeared, which was just a joy. The musical Storefronts Program has been mounting 60 concerts featuring more than 100 established and emerging classicaljazz and theatre musicians. I think its very covid safe and also very, very creative. I think it is something wonderful, a ray of sunshine, especially these days. Its really important that. Artists have work right now and this is one of the ways were able to provide it, i so thats a really important part but its also fulfilling l for their souls. For sean lee, the musical Storefronts Program left him knowing just how important live engagement and Live Performances can be. Knowing that the desire to hear music is out there and its maybe Even Stronger than before, does inspire me to keep going and get ready to play again. The program is making a big difference to musicians and is such a success, it may be duplicated elsewhere. And elements of it may even become a permanent fixture of urban life in america in post pandemic times. Tom brook, bbc news new york. Two � exceptional� pieces of Armour Dating Back to the sixteenth century have been returned to the louvre in paris. They were stolen in the early 1980s. The helmet and breast plate thought to be worth around half a Million Euros were found by an auctioneer in bordeaux. The bbc� s tim allman has the story. Back where they belong nearly a0 years after they first vanished. Exquisitely ornate, inlaid with gold and silver, some of the finest examples of the renaissance. Translation today, the Central Office for. Cultural property is presenting the louvre with two pieces of Italian Renaissance armament a helmet and a breastplate. These are quite exceptional pieces that date back to the 16th century. Objects of pomp and circumstance. The two pieces of armour were donated to the louvre in 1922, part of a collection owned by the baroness de rothschild. How they went missing still remains something of a mystery. How they were recovered, not so much. Translation an expert in Military Antiquities in bordeaux has been asked to examine these two objects. He has doubts about them and contacted the authorities. They checked and found out that these objects had been stolen in 1983. The louvre is still closed of course as the pandemic continues, but eventually, restrictions will ease, the museum will reopen, and after nearly four decades, these exceptional objects will be back on display. Tim allman, bbc news. The latest test flight of a spacex rocket has had a successful ta ke off in south texas. The rocket, without any crew on board, reached a predetermined height of ten kilometres before landing again. Spacex officials called it a � beautiful soft landing. The landing and take off did indeed look good, but. Just a few minutes later the test ended in a fiery explosion. The rocket thrown into the air and crashing back to the ground. Its the third rocket to explode in as many months. The owner of spacex, elon musk, is hoping eventually his rockets will be able to take humans to mars. There is more on that and all the news on the bbc website as well as our twitter feeds. Thank you for watching. Hello there. Wednesday was a cloudy day and over the next few days, sunshine is going to be at a premium. Now, weve still got colder air sitting across the uk. For most of the time, it is going to be dry but there will be a lot of cloud, and the cloud was thick enough on wednesday to give quite a few showers for england and wales, some heavy bursts of rain for a time as well. Now at the moment, those showers are becoming confined more to the South East Of England and east anglia on that Weather Front there. At the same time we have another weak Weather Front moving down into scotland. Now, behind that were going to pick up more of a north easterly breeze. That will push its way down across the uk and just continue to feed in that Chilly Airfrom the north. Now, theres a lot of cloud around at the moment. Misty weather, too. Not as much fog, mind you. And temperatures by the morning should be just a few degrees the right side of freezing. But theres some showers to clear away from the south east and east anglia In The Morning. Weve got on that Weather Front in the north some light rain or drizzle. And in scotland, perhaps even a bit of snow over the highest ground. That damp weather moves down into Northern England in the afternoon allowing something a bit brighter in scotland, some sunshine in the west. For many parts of the uk, its going to be cloudy again, particularly dull towards the south west. Temperatures not quite as high here on thursday. And generally, those temperatures will be around 6 7 degrees. As we head into the evening, a little bit of drizzle for a while for Northern Ireland moving into wales, the midlands, down towards the south east. As that moves through, so the cloud will tend to break up a little bit more overnight. Weve got High Pressure moving down this time, coming down from iceland bringing with it that colder air but bringing with it a lot of dry weather and the winds will be lighter on friday, as well. Could start a bit chilly, though, with some clearer skies overnight. So, a risk of frost In The Morning and whilst there could be some sunshine at times on friday, well tend to find the cloud tending to build and spread out a bit more through the day. Thats not going to help the temperatures, of course. And again, those temperatures will be around 6 8 celsius. Now, lets head into the weekend and for many, its more of this quiet, dry, fairly cloudy sort of weather. We may find temperatures sneaking up a degree or so as the weekend goes on. And by sunday, theres more of a west to south westerly over the weekend, theres still the chance of seeing some rain across Northern Ireland and western scotland, particularly on sunday as Weather Fronts start to come in from the atlantic, and thats a sign of something more unsettled but not quite as cold as we head into next week. This is bbc news, the headlines the prosecutor of the the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Investigation into war crimes International Criminal court says shes opening a formal says shes opening a formal investigation into war crimes in the palestinian territories, which will examine both sides of the conflict. The Palestinian Authority has called the move a long awaited step towards justice. The israeli Prime Minister described it as the essence of Anti Semitism and hypocrisy. Brazil has registered a record of covid 19 deaths for a second day with 1,910 lives lost. The surge in cases, driven by new variants, has pushed Health Systems to their limits. President Jair Bolsonaro has been criticised for downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic and for the slow pace of vaccination. Police in washington say they have intelligence showing a possible plot by a militia to breach the Capitol Building, again, on thursday. Extra Security Measures are being put in place and the House Of Representatives will not meet. Now on bbc news, its hardtalk