50,000 catholics In Singapore. An important moment for singapores catholic community. So we are monitoring the live shotin so we are monitoring the live shot In Singapore as the pope is greeted. You are watching bbc news. Next, the war in ukraine. Americas top diplomat, Antony Blinken, is in Poland Today following his trip to kyiv. These are the latest pictures of Mr Blinken arriving in warsaw. He is due to meet senior polish officials to discuss support for ukraine. The Secretary Of State said yesterday he will take back to washington the discussions he and his british counterpart have had with ukrainian officials about the use of long range western weapons for strikes inside russia. Live to our Eastern Europe correspondent, sarah rainsford, who is in warsaw. This is anthony benton, he is in warsaw without his Uk Counterpart, mr lambie. Just talk us through, of Course Poland very much supported the ukraine, what is the messaging we will hear from him today . I think what he is going t
The last hour or so. We have seen a couple of charity representatives waiting outside, presumably to help the former prisoners as they are released. We have also seen Family Members starting to gather, and friends of those former prisoners, and we have also seen increased security presence. Shortly, we are told, prisoners should be being released in coming through these gates. Last night they had their very last night in jail before being released but there will be lots of Processing Today including talking to Probation Officers about the conditions and restrictions across their release, including bans on certain areas and curfews. There are concerns that many of them will be released homeless. In fact, 12 of prisoners released in the year to march didnt, and therefore there are more concerns about reoffending rates. But the government does say this is absolutely necessary to help ease the overcrowding in the prison system. I5 overcrowding in the prison s stem. , ~. , overcrowding in t
The israeli military said its aircraft attacked an operations centre belonging to hamas militants. Eyewitnesses told the bbc that large explosions rocked the mawasi area shortly after midnight and flames could be seen rising into the sky. We are keeping track of this development and will keep you up to date as and when we get more details. Now to in afghanistan, where life for the country s 21 million women hasjust become even tougher. Three years after the taliban s return to power, a new law has been passed saying that women must cover their face and body completely if they leave the house and their voices cannot be heard in public. Despite the risk to themselves, some women have spoken out and have been telling the bbc s yogita limaye what life is like for them now. We have hidden their identities and used actors voices to protect them. It s increasingly difficult for foreign journalists to report from afghanistan. This is yogita s report compiled along with camera journalist, sanj
Several metres deep. In the north of the territory, the un says a convoy of its staff carrying out polio vaccinations was held at gunpoint for eight hours by the israeli army on monday. The staff have now been released, but the un says it s not sure whether it can continue the vaccination campaign as planned. Meanwhile, syria says at least 18 people have been killed and dozens injured in a series of israeli air strikes. Syrian state media says multiple sites were targeted including scientific research centers. Monitoring organisations say that one of the sites, in the city of masyaf, was housing pro iranian weapons experts. Iran rejected reports that iranian sites were hit. Israel says it will not comment on reports of the strikes. Israel has previously acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes in recent years on targets in syria that it says are linked to iran. Our middle east correspondent, hugo bachega has more on the reports from beirut. There has been a sharp increase in the n