welcome _ it is newsday. hello and welcome to _ it is newsday. hello and welcome to the - it is newsday. hello and - welcome to the programme. starting with the big developments out of a hospital in gaza where thousands were seeking help and refuge. an explosion at the al—ahli hospital, right in the heart of gaza city, is said to have killed hundreds, according to health officials there. people sheltering in the hospital had fled 10 days of bombing by israel. the prime minister benjamin netanyahu denied that israel was responsible and blamed what he called barbaric terrorist. hamas has in turn blamed israel for the blast, and called it a war crime. here's our international editor jeremy bowen with the latest loud blast the missile hit the hospital not long after dark. man shouts you can hear the impact. the explosion destroyed al—ahli hospital. it was already damaged from a smaller attack at the weekend. the building was flattened. very soon, video was posted from gaza of bodies laid out near the ruins of the hospital. so many dead and the size of the explosion, together looked to be having a profound impact on what was already the most dangerous crisis in the middle east in a generation. the wounded were taken across gaza city to shifa hospital. the israeli army's first response said hospitals were highly sensitive and not targets of its military and urged caution about what it called the unverified claims of a terrorist organization. that statement will not be believed by palestinians and by millions of others in the middle east who see these images. the wounded and the dying pouring into shifa from al—ahli arrived at a hospital already overwhelmed by thousands of casualties from israeli air strikes. it was already struggling to treat patients it was already struggling to treat patients after israel cut off fuel, water, food, and deliveries of medical supplies. jordan and egypt condemned israel for a dangerous escalation. jordan said the international community should pressure israel to stop its attacks, to prevent what it called wide cycles of violence. as fury and fear gripped palestinians, israel denied that it was responsible. ican i can confirm that an analysis of the idf analysis systems indicates that of a barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in gaza passing in close proximity to the al—ahli hospital in gaza at the time it was hit. intelligence from few sources that we have in our hands indicates that the islamicjihad is responsible islamic jihad is responsible for the islamicjihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in gaza. pictures on social media showed many children are among the casualties in gaza. many children are among the casualties in gaza. so many people needed treatment that the corridors of shifa hospital were packed. the destruction of al—ahli hospital is also spreading fear among the hundreds of thousands of palestinians who fled to gaza's southern border with egypt after israel told them to leave their homes. there's 8,000 people here at night and it is usually loud, kids are running around, but tonight there is silence, absolute silence. you can't hear a thing. people are just in absolute shock about what has happened. it is really, really shocking. and, and, ijust don't know what to say. i have no words. anger spilled onto the streets of the west bank. the other parts of the territory separate from israel bike gaza. since hamas attacked out of gaza on the 7 october, there have been fears that mass casualties caused by israel's response could ignite west bank towns that have been the centre of unrest for well over a year. the young men on the streets, and palestinian armed groups in the west bank, will not believe israel's denials. the latest from israel's prime minister blaming what he called barbaric terrorists for the attack. the attack is a seismic event in a war that might spread elsewhere in the middle east. there are reports that the palestinian president has cancelled a meeting with the us president, who's due in israel tomorrow morning on a mission that was aimed at easing the plight of palestinian civilians, and who will now walk into an even—deeper crisis. jeremy bowen, bbc news, in southern israel. now live in on backed hezbollah movement has called for a day of rage to condemn the strike on the gaza hospital. are corresponded jon donnison has more on the reactions across the region. explosions fury tonight in the west bank. in ramallah, youths battled with palestinian security forces who responded with tear gas and sound grenades. earlier, as reports of the hospital strike came in from gaza, thousands took to the streets in protest. there is anger directed at israel but also at president mahmoud abbas and his palestinian authority, which many perceive as weak and lacking legitimacy. mr abbas announced he was cancelling a meeting with president biden, scheduled for tomorrow injordan, and was flying home. chanting there were mass protests there this evening too, and clashes outside the israeli embassy in amman. translation: during the foundation of israel, when it occupied this area, they are breaching international humanitarian law. geneva agreement is obvious in this regard. medical centres or hospitals should not be touched. in turkey also, thousands rallied against israel. as the war in gaza escalates, it is a dangerous moment for the wider region. jon donnison, bbc news. the us presidentjoe biden said he was outraged and deeply saddened by that explosion at a garda hospital that killed about 500 people. in a statement _ about 500 people. in a statement he - about 500 people. in a statement he said - about 500 people. in a statement he said his. about 500 people. in a statement he said his national security team is trying to gather information about exactly what happened. president biden is currently flying to israel and is in mid—air. is expected to meet the its rally by minister. he was also expected to fly to jordan's capital to meet other middle eastern leaders but not only has... cancelled his meeting with the us president but nowjordan�*s foreign minister has also said it has cancelled the summit it was hosting altogether. more from our north american editor now, sarah smith. this is an extraordinary strip which was a high—stakes gamble even before news came in of this hospital bombing. it is a visit with to make purposes really and both of those to make formations got considerably more difficult to date. firstly, he wants to go there to demonstrate what he calls his ironclad commitment to israel and to its right to defend itself. that is a position thatjoe biden has had for well over 50 years now. but it is a position that is much, much more uncomfortable to defend tonight that it was even just this morning. the other thing he wants to try to achieve is get israel to allow emergency humanitarian aid into gaza and put in place some kind of measures to try to protect innocent civilian lives. that just looks a lot more difficult now as well. that's because you have got the american president flying into a situation where the hamas leader says it is the fault of the us that this hospital bombing has happened, because america gives israel coverfor because america gives israel cover for its aggression, he says, as you were reporting the palestinian president has cancelled his meeting withjoe biden and then at the same time israel are going to ask him for over $10 billion worth of emergency military aid. so he is arriving in a situation that was already complex and it is now considerably more volatile before he even touches down. in fact we're going to take that further. for more on president biden�*s trip to israel and the issues around that diplomacy in the expected war in the gaza strip we can go ahead and talk to erin david miller a former us state department official as well as a middle east negotiator and also senior fellow at carnegie and down — us think tank. thanks very much for your time on newsday. there are lots of optics attached to the us president's visit to israel. it is also coming as we are saying after the recent striper dog strike at the al—ahli hospital. how complicated is the situation now for these diplomatic efforts? it now for these diplomatic efforts? , , , efforts? it is very complicated and large _ efforts? it is very complicated and large measure _ efforts? it is very complicated and large measure because i efforts? it is very complicated l and large measure because the united states is not in control of events. we sometimes lull ourselves into believing our leverages unlimited that given the power of military economic rejection of power by the united states that they are very few situations where we cannot somehow fight our way to inaudible _ . us president is appearing inaudible — . us president is appearing in israel during _ . us president is appearing in israel during a _ . us president is appearing in israel during a very _ . us president is appearing in israel during a very fraught i israel during a very fraught period. he has to content with the trauma of a bus's savage and brutal terrorist rampage october seven and the israeli response blockade of gaza and punishing airspace. fin response blockade of gaza and punishing airspace.— punishing airspace. on the other, punishing airspace. on the other. you _ punishing airspace. on the other, you have _ punishing airspace. on the other, you have a - punishing airspace. on the other, you have a looming| punishing airspace. on the | other, you have a looming - punishing airspace. on the - other, you have a looming - not other, you have a looming — not even looming ground campaign which is extremely complicated, likely to be bloodied and provokes a question, even if the israelis do succeed in their objectives they start to confront the problems of the day after. into their strides in american president, with tremendous leverage in theory because of his ironclad support for israel and the fact that a love of israel and the idea of israel and a high regard for israel's security, that's deeply impressed on president biden's commercial and political dna. i think he has three objectives. one, cp cannot find a way to make more predictable and stable, stable the humanitarian bridge and corridor into egypt and egypt into rougher. that problem is even more acute as hundreds of thousands of palestinians have fled from gaza city. they are now ill serviced and ill resource. now you have a looming humanitarian tragedy which is already upon us. the second objective is to reassure a deeply traumatised israeli public. i thinkjoe biden feels that to do this in person or drive home the message that, at least for the israeli public, he stands with israel. he also is intuited i think that the israeli public are deeply disappointed in their own leadership and needs reassurance now. finally, the most difficult part of his mission is a very honest and frank discussion with his dominant prime minister and his war cabinet. what if the objectives of this campaign, monitor means that israel's objective to achieve it, how is it going to achieve a? what cost it will will encounter likely? and finally, what is the israeli vision or view of the israeli vision or view of the day after. will make the point that military power is a means to an end. those objectives that the israelis want to objective need to be well thought out and gain international support. what happened in gaza today, the controversy over who was responsible for the attack on the al—ahli hospital in gaza city unclear... the al-ahli hospital in gaza city unclear. . ._ the al-ahli hospital in gaza city unclear... apologies for interrupting. _ city unclear... apologies for interrupting. is _ city unclear... apologies for interrupting. is by _ city unclear... apologies for interrupting. is by could - city unclear... apologies for. interrupting. is by could jump interrupting. is by could jump in as you talk about the objectives, i want to also understand how likely is president biden's ability to achieve those objectives at the time when the arab leaders that he was hoping to meet are pulled out of those meeting. how do you see that playing out in the entire dynamics? i think, and sorry for droning on, i think the first four objectives are eminently achievable. unfortunately he will not see the president of egyptin will not see the president of egypt in a man because he and the israelis are key to the humanitarian bridge that needs to be created into gaza. the top as part i think will be the issue of probing the israelis and try to understand what it is they intend to do. you have a delay in this ground campaign. it has now been too weeks and maybe it is whether, maybe it is israeli indecision over the breadth and depth of their campaign, over the breadth and depth of theircampaign, it over the breadth and depth of their campaign, it certainly is their campaign, it certainly is the president's visit. days expect the ground campaign in its fullest manifestation is not going to inaudible _ . he will be in week three of this more. _ . he will be in week three of this more, it _ . he will be in week three of this more, it seems - . he will be in week three of this more, it seems to - . he will be in week three of this more, it seems to me, | . he will be in week three of. this more, it seems to me, and the hostages are a complicating factor that we have not even discuss. i think we will be into week three before we see the signs and the reality of an unprecedented israeli campaign in gaza. very briefly, what about the wider region, in fact iraq's foreign minister warned of pre—emptive strikes yesterday. are you worried about a major escalation that the us could try and de—escalate? the us could try and de-escalate?- the us could try and de-escalate? , ., ., de-escalate? is a former middle east negotiator, _ de-escalate? is a former middle east negotiator, i _ de-escalate? is a former middle east negotiator, i worry - de-escalate? is a former middle east negotiator, i worry about i east negotiator, i worry about anything when it comes to this region. but i do not believe a run once a major confrontation with israel. i think hezbollah is also assessing the choice they have to make. why waste their assets? when hamas is actually doing hezbollah and iran's betting? i think that is the calculation for both of them. neitherwant the calculation for both of them. neither want to be drawn into a war that would fundamentally change the strategic balance of power, nothing what that is what is really at stake. i think it will back up their risk aversion in this regard. i won't say it cannot happen. you could end up with a serious engagement between iran and hezbollah, but a direct israeli competition where israeli strike the iranian mainland and the iranians retaliate with us participation... mr; the iranians retaliate with us participation... my apologies, but that is _ participation... my apologies, but that is all _ participation... my apologies, but that is all the _ participation... my apologies, but that is all the time - participation... my apologies, but that is all the time we - but that is all the time we have, it was a pleasure having you on the programme and getting your perspective, thank you very much for your time. thanks for having me. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. uk wages are outstripping inflation for the first time in nearly two years, according to official figures. the office for national statistics said that regular earnings rose by a near record of 7.8% in the three months to august. rolls—royce has announced plans to axe up to 2,500 jobs — or about 6% of its global workforce — to make it "more efficient and effective". "efficient and effective". the company, which makes engines for aircraft, is based in derby. it employs 42,000 people around the world, with about half based in the uk. the conservative mp peter bourne has had the whip removed, meaning he has essentially been injected from the party and will have to sit in the house of commons as an independent. the parliamentary panel upheld complaints of bullying, as well as sexual misconduct against mr bone. he insists the allegations are false and without foundation. you're live with bbc news. no more on the explosion we have been tracking at the hospital in gaza city, which left hundreds of people dead. our correspondent has the very latest in this situation there. treating people in the corridors of the hospital, there are volunteers, people, nurses, students of the medical universities rushing to the hospital. the doctors at the hospital. the doctors at the hospital are really struggling to say people's lives. more than three hours now since the explosion in the hospital, people with their hands are still trying to remove the rubble and find any survivors, transporting the bodies to the hospital, there is no place to put the bodies. they put the bodies in the courtyard of the hospital, and they are making surgeries in the street.- surgeries in the street. more now on surgeries in the street. more new on the — surgeries in the street. more now on the situation - surgeries in the street. more now on the situation on - surgeries in the street. more now on the situation on the l now on the situation on the ground and a big concern, the prospect of escalation. on tuesday, the israeli airforce carried out most strikes from the air. this is the very latest from the bbc�*s and faster. when sergeant i saw these men crossing the border, she knew what to do. translation: i was on my shift and recognised a group - of terrorists on the screens. i understood that something was wrong. i won't lie, it was very scary to stand here by the border. the observers in the south, all the forces caught up in the attack there, i know a lot of people who have been abducted or murdered. for more than a week, there have been exchanges of fire between lebanon and israel, and as they intensify, this is where israeli soldiers keep tabs on the border. they call this the war room. there is another one exactly the same right behind it, and all of these vaccines, all of the time, right around—the—clock, are being watched and monitored and showing cameras that are trained on the border with lebanon, people are watch and waiting. if they see anybody try to come across that border, they immediately raise the alarm. translation: they are the eyes of soldiers, of the the entire - boarder and they are playing an important role. we are a company of strong women, female soldiers that know theirjob and mission. and now that they play a very important role in this war. israeli troops are now massing in the north in large numbers. it is a visual reminder of what is at stake and how seriously the threat is being taken. the us is working behind the scenes to stop an escalation. but iran, which backs his brother, isn't ruling out but iran, which backs hezbollah, isn't ruling out opening a new front. translation: restraint cannot be one-sided, i you can't advise lebanon's hezbollah to have restraint, but tell binyamin netanyahu you can commit whatever crimes you like against civilians. these are tense hours along this fragile dividing line. if it breaks, the whole region will feel the consequences. anna foster, bbc news, on the israel lebanon border. russian president vladimir putin is in china, in a rare trip abroad since the war in ukraine. he is attending an event related to the belt and road initiative, china's landmark project to extend its global economic influence. president putin will meet his chinese counterpart, xi jinping, on wednesday. for more on what the two leaders might talk about when they meet, i spoke to raffaello pantucci. he is an adjunct senior fellow at the s rajaratnam school of international studies. i think what we will see is a discussion between president putin and president xi about the world, and the world ac, which is full of conflict, where they see themselves as powers that are sort of pushing back against some the chaos that we see, fighting it on various fronts. we will see the issue of israel palestine come up issue of israel palestine come up as a major topic of conversation, because it is a prominent topic of conversation at the moment, but i'm sure we will also find oblique references to ukraine but i think primarily the push will be to discuss about what they perceive as americans stirred trouble happening around the world, which they will interpret through these various lenses. ., , lenses. how is their meeting likel to lenses. how is their meeting likely to be _ lenses. how is their meeting likely to be viewed _ lenses. how is their meeting likely to be viewed by - lenses. how is their meeting likely to be viewed by the i likely to be viewed by the west? i likely to be viewed by the west? ~ ~ , likely to be viewed by the west? ~' . , , west? i think the west will see it as another _ west? i think the west will see it as another gathering - west? i think the west will see it as another gathering by - west? i think the west will see it as another gathering by two l it as another gathering by two leaders who have quite clearly stated their hostile opposition to the american led world order, and they will see it within that light, they will see it as an extension of the problem is that we see happening in ukraine and the sort of gathering of malign forces. the fact it is happening under the auspices of the belt and road initiative, which is president xi, is based —— his big project around the world, some see it as trapping and indenting parts of the world, —— making them indebted to china. world, -- making them indebted to china. , , ., to china. this is also coming at a time — to china. this is also coming at a time when _ to china. this is also coming at a time when president i at a time when president volodymyr zelensky has also talked about the conflict there, saying ukraine has used you supplied long—range missiles for the first time in the conflict. what kind of conversation do you expect them to have when it comes to ukraine? i to have when it comes to ukraine?— ukraine? i think the conversation - ukraine? i think the conversation on - ukraine? i think the - conversation on ukraine will ukraine? i think the _ conversation on ukraine will be fairly supportive of the russian position, in so much as i don't think we are going to see china actively condemn them in any way. i think if we do see the discussion about ukraine, it will most likely be a discussion which sort of says piece is required on both sides would like some sort of peace, and the chinese undoubtedly trying to encourage the situation going in that direction but broadly speaking they were trying to find a way of blaming the united states, nato, of being responsible for the conflict in some way, pointing out that there is another aggressor to this conflict where most in the west would say this is a conflict that mr putin has started against a neighbouring country. very briefly as we wrap it up, they are meeting for the pri forum, do you think we will see any major announcement on the economic cooperation or otherwise? it economic cooperation or otherwise?— economic cooperation or otherwise? it is difficult to tell, there _ otherwise? it is difficult to tell, there are _ otherwise? it is difficult to tell, there are a _ otherwise? it is difficult to tell, there are a couple i otherwise? it is difficult to tell, there are a couple of| otherwise? it is difficult to i tell, there are a couple of big projects that could be highlighted and if they are, there's the siberian to pipeline across russia and some other big potential infrastructure investments that could be done, but i think this belt and forum could be one that has come together quite late. if you look at the roster of leaders attending, it's actually quite thin, which makes me suspect that maybe this time we're not going to see the grandiose numbers being thrown around that we have in previous summits, but i'm sure we will see a big celebration of this great chinese foreign policy idea. of this great chinese foreign policy idea-— of this great chinese foreign policy idea. you are watching bbc news- — policy idea. you are watching bbc news. that _ policy idea. you are watching bbc news. that is _ policy idea. you are watching bbc news. that is a - policy idea. you are watching bbc news. that is a story - policy idea. you are watching i bbc news. that is a story we're looking at very closely, as well as the development is unfolding the middle east. once again, a reminder that the us presidentjoe biden is currently midair on the way to israel, so that is a big story we will be looking at here in bbc news. for more updates, log on the bbc news website. that is all for the moment. hello, there. it's been a fine start to this week, but things are set to turn more unsettled, very autumnal, and even quite stormy, as we see strong winds, gales, and heavy rain spreading northwards across the uk. so some of this rain and strong wind likely to cause some disruption, towards the end of the week. now, it's storm babet, which the met office have named, will be pushing northwards during wednesday, wednesday night, across the uk, then parking itself across the north of the uk for thursday and friday. so rainfall totals really will be mounting up, and i can show you this, in fact, on the rainfall accumulation anomaly — you can see all areas seeing a lot of rainfall, but it's eastern scotland, parts of northeast england, that bear the brunt. some of the heaviest of the rainfall sits here, where we have some concerns with the risk of some localised flooding, but because of the recent flooding across scotland, the ground is saturated. the met office have issued an amber warning for this east—northeast corner, it could see up to 50 to 200 mls of rain by the time the week's out. that could cause some disruption. wednesday starts off fine for many; central, northern, eastern areas, plenty of sunshine. it will be windy, mind you. rain starts to pepper up northern ireland, and then southern britain, first signs of storm babet pushing in here, later on wednesday. some of this rain could be quite heavy and thundery, but strong and gusty winds for all areas, even though it will be quite mild, 1a to 16 celsius — might not feel like that, because of the strength of the wind. storm babet continues to move northwards across the uk during wednesday night, parks itself across northern england, northern ireland, southern scotland. that starts thursday morning, some showers pushing into southern areas later on. it will be a mild night to come. this is the pressure chart, then, for thursday — it looks like the weather front will be hanging around across northern and eastern scotland. rainfall totals really mounting here, strong, gale—force winds, particularly for the northern isles, north sea coast here. further south, it'll be a mixture of variable cloud, some showery bursts of rain, some of which could be heavy and thundery, but mild, despite the wind and the rain — 15 to 18 celsius. similar story, as we head into friday — it looks like the northern half of the country will see the heaviest of the rain. again, northeast england could bear the brunt of the heavy rain on friday. elsewhere, it's clear spells, but also a mixture of showers, some of which could be heavy and thundery. again, mild in the south, cooler in the north. see you later. high—stakes diplomacy in beijing. president xijinping welcomes... at a challenging time for the world's second—largest economy. i mentor alana with a special report on the legacy of china's initiative in this country as it concludes ten years. —— belt and road initiative hello, and welcome to asian business report. we will start in china where president xijinping report. we will start in china where president xi jinping take centre stage in centre stage in beijing today. you will be gathering leaders to mark ten years of the belt and road initiative. building a series of infrastructure as well as energy network. it is a high—profile event with russia's president vladimir putin as well as leaders of other developing nations from around the world who are going to be in attendance. his leadership is tested both domestically and in getting china's economy on track as well as internationally as a