live from washington, this is bbc news. the us senate passes a long—awaited multibillion—dollar aid package for ukraine and other american allies. ., ., ~ allies. tonight we make vladimir _ allies. tonight we make vladimir putin - allies. tonight we make vladimir putin regret i allies. tonight we make | vladimir putin regret the allies. tonight we make - vladimir putin regret the day he questioned american resolve. police arrest more than 100 people at a pro—palestinian demonstration at new york university, as one ivy league university takes another step to ensure student safety. plus, phoning home, nasa's voyager one probe sends back usable data again after a months long outage.

hello, i'm caitriona perry. you are very welcome. in the last 30 minutes, the us senate passed a $95 billion aid package for american allies. president biden says he will sign the bill into law on wednesday. the legislation is centred on foreign assistance. it includes nearly $61 billion in aid for ukraine. 0ver it includes nearly $61 billion in aid for ukraine. over 26 million for israel and more than $8 billion for the indo pacific region. its passage follows a months long stalemate in the house of representatives where some republicans held the bailout, arguing domestic issues should be dealt with before foreign ones. ukrainian president zelenskyy said in a statement on x tonight that he is grateful to all americans who continue to support ukraine and recognise that the historic significance of this bill extends beyond politics. the bill also includes a possible ban on the social media app,

tiktok, saying that tiktok�*s parent company like danze, a chinese company, must sell its stake within six months or it will be banned in the us. here is senate republican leader mitch mcconnell speaking after senators had voted. the? mitch mcconnell speaking after senators had voted.— senators had voted. they are all watching, _ senators had voted. they are all watching, waiting - senators had voted. they are all watching, waiting to - senators had voted. they are all watching, waiting to see l all watching, waiting to see what we would do. our enemies have tested whether the home of democracy is built to endure. tonight the senate will send a clear message. to tonight the senate will send a clear message.— tonight the senate will send a clear message. to talk through all of these _ clear message. to talk through all of these developments - clear message. to talk through all of these developments i'm l all of these developments i'm joined by ambassador bill taylor, former us ambassador to ukraine, thanks forjoining us. quite dramatic evening. we heard from mitch mcconnell, chuck schumer, the democratic leader in the senate echoing various words, saying this bill was one of the most consequential measures congress has passed in years to protect america's security in the future, he says the very future of western democracy. do you

agree with those sentiments? i agree. some of the senator said this is the most important boat they will have cast their careers. this is very big. in order to send the message, as chuck schumer said, to president putin but also send a message to the ukrainians that we are there, we are going to support them with a big chunk of funds that will fund a lot of funds that will fund a lot of the weapons they need to defend themselves against the russians. ii defend themselves against the russians. , , ., defend themselves against the russians. , . russians. if it is so important and so consequential, - russians. if it is so important and so consequential, why i russians. if it is so important l and so consequential, why has it taken 70 months to get to this point?— this point? the ukrainians would like _ this point? the ukrainians would like to _ this point? the ukrainians would like to know - this point? the ukrainians would like to know the - this point? the ukrainians - would like to know the answer to that too. during that six month time there was a lot of soldiers who lost their lives, and a lot of territory lost some territory lost much of the russians, because ukrainians didn't have the ammunition and the air defence that they need. why did it take so long? internal politics stop this, they were all kinds of questions internal to the political parties but now that it has passed, the ukrainians

are very pleased, we should be very pleased as well. if it sa s very pleased as well. if it says all— very pleased as well. if it says all these _ very pleased as well. if it says all these great - very pleased as well. if it says all these great things we have had from the senate is about america's place in the world, has america's place in the world been damaged in the last three months before this was agreed? i last three months before this was agreed?— last three months before this was agreed? i think so, i think it had been — was agreed? i think so, i think it had been damaged, - was agreed? i think so, i think it had been damaged, people, j it had been damaged, people, europeans, ukrainians, were beginning to worry that the united states would not be there to support in this crucial theatre. the russians and ukrainians have been fighting for over two years because the russians invaded and the ukrainians try to stop them and we were supporting them and we were supporting them very strongly, and then we stopped, we paused, because we couldn't find a way to get this bill passed. they finally found it, and now they recognise ukrainians are europeans, the russians understand we are back. , �* , back. president biden says he will sin back. president biden says he will sign this _ back. president biden says he will sign this into _ back. president biden says he will sign this into law- will sign this into law tomorrow. how soon after that will the money start flowing? 0bviously will the money start flowing? obviously there is ukraine but there is israel and the indo pacific region as well. the

weapons. _ pacific region as well. the weapons, which _ pacific region as well. the weapons, which this - pacific region as well. he weapons, which this bill pacific region as well. tie: weapons, which this bill funds, can start within days. i would say by the end of this week it is possible or early next week. our pentagon has been ready to 0ur pentagon has been ready to 90, 0ur pentagon has been ready to go, is ready to go. i'm sure the tracks and the trains are loaded and ready to move as soon as the president signs that, and he has to authorise that, and he has to authorise that one big presidential drawdown. people say it is going to be $1 billion worth of these ammunitions, these weapons, and that can be on the front lines again within days. i would imagine that there are some ukrainian military people who have been holding back on hiring diligent lamination they had left, and now they can probably fire that ammunition, knowing that there is this new ammunition that's coming. taste ammunition that's coming. we saw president zelenskyy very quick to welcome the passage of the bill. just how badly needed are these munitions to the fight ukraine is mounting? titers; fight ukraine is mounting? very badl . bill fight ukraine is mounting? very badly. bill burn _ fight ukraine is mounting? very badly. bill burn said _ fight ukraine is mounting? very badly. bill burn said in - fight ukraine is mounting? - badly. bill burn said in answer

to that question, if the ukrainians don't get this package, these weapons, they will lose by the end of this year. so it was that critical. and now they have a chance. now they have a chance to stop the movement of the russians forward, the russians were taking advantage of that time where the ukrainians did not have the weapons, didn't have the air defence, and now the ukrainians can stop them. do ou ukrainians can stop them. do you expect to see perhaps a tactical change in how ukraine has been approaching things? i think they will be able to be more aggressive, they will undoubtedly stay on defence for the next several months. even with these new weapons. they need to rebuild, refresh and rearm, retrain. that needs to happen, so they will try to defend what they've got, so that once they do build back up and these new weapons are there. by the way, they are some long range weapons that we haven't provided before, that we have now begun to provide, that's going to give the ukrainians more capabilities to go deep into russian held

territory. so they will be able to hold and eventually go back on the offensive.— on the offensive. president biden to — on the offensive. president biden to sign _ on the offensive. president biden to sign that - on the offensive. president biden to sign that bill- on the offensive. president biden to sign that bill into l biden to sign that bill into law tomorrow so we will see what happens after that. bill taylor, former us ambassador to ukraine, thanks forjoining us. lebanon's iran—backed hezbollah group says it has launched a drone attack targeting israeli military bases north of the city of accor, its deepest attack into israeli territory since the gaza war began. lebanese state media says it comes after an israeli air strike in southern lebanon killed a mother and girl from the same family. tuesday marked the 200th day of the conflict in gaza, with israel carrying out air strikes in the northern, central and southern portions of the territory. the united nations has said it's working to corroborate reports from palestinian authorities that at least 310 people have been found buried outside the nasser hospital grounds in khan younis.

palestinian officials say some of those who were killed were elderly or women, and others were found with their hands tied. israel's military has rejected accusations that its forces buried the bodies. the un is calling for an independent investigation. given the prevailing climate of impunity, this should include international investigators. hospitals are entitled to very special protection under international humanitarian law, let's be clear, intentional killing of civilians, detainees and others who are of the combat is a war crime. we feel the need to raise the alarm, because clearly there have been multiple bodies discovered. we do not know how many. there are reports some of them had their hands tied, which, of course, indicates serious violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law, and these need to be subjected to further investigation.

133 people were arrested at new york university on tuesday as police dispersed pro—palestinian demonstrators. nearby colombia, the ivy league university in new york city, says it will keep letting students take classes remotely to avoid protest there. america's colleges are a world apart from the war in gaza but protests about the war are putting them at the centre of a growing controversy. police clashed with students outside new york university last night with over 100 arrested when they wouldn't leave. creating another flash point in the spreading pro—palestinian campus protests. spreading pro-palestinian campus protests.- campus protests. free palestine! _ campus protests. free palestine! today, - campus protests. freej palestine! today, nyu campus protests. free - palestine! today, nyu students took u- palestine! today, nyu students took up their — palestine! today, nyu students took up their placards _ palestine! today, nyu students took up their placards again, . took up their placards again, eager to show their defiance. the police raided and caved in on the protesters in an

extremely aggressive manner. they pulled one of our student organisers to the ground by her hair, they may stand pepper sprayed protesters.- hair, they may stand pepper sprayed protesters. some jewish students have _ sprayed protesters. some jewish students have complained - sprayed protesters. some jewish students have complained that i students have complained that these protests are intimidating and say they have faced harassment and anti—semitism on campus. i harassment and anti-semitism on camus. . harassment and anti-semitism on cam nus, ., ,.., ., harassment and anti-semitism on camus. . ., . . campus. i am scared to wear a jewish star, — campus. i am scared to wear a jewish star, i've _ campus. i am scared to wear a jewish star, i've had _ campus. i am scared to wear a jewish star, i've had very - jewish star, i've had very nasty anti—semitic comments at me, and ijust don't understand how this is accepted.— how this is accepted. many of the protesters _ how this is accepted. many of the protesters are _ how this is accepted. many of the protesters are wearing i the protesters are wearing masks as they say they have been bullied online where they have been recognised. taste been bullied online where they have been recognised.- have been recognised. we are facin: have been recognised. we are facing very — have been recognised. we are facing very well _ have been recognised. we are facing very well organised i facing very well organised zionist agitators who weapon as their claim ofjewishness in order to shut down what is legitimate protest. accusations of intolerance _ legitimate protest. accusations of intolerance from _ legitimate protest. accusations of intolerance from both - legitimate protest. accusations of intolerance from both sidesl of intolerance from both sides are a common protest feature of these demonstrations. it looks like this may be growing into a nationwide movement because every time one of these protest has been broken up it has simply inspired more

demonstrations on more campuses right across america. protests have spread to campuses right across the us, from the east to west coasts, including yale university, where almost 50 students were arrested last night, and california state university, humboldt, where students barricaded themselves inside a building... screaming and shouting. ..where the university summoned the police, a highly controversial move on any campus, where students demand their right to protest. it was at new york's columbia university that the first arrests were made last week. many classes there have now been taken online. universities across the country are braced for protest to disrupt graduation ceremonies this summer. sarah smith, bbc news, new york. the second day of testimony in donald trump's first criminal trial got off to a contentious start. mr trump denies charges that he falsified his business records to conceal hush money he paid to cover up an alleged affair with a porn star. nada tawfik was following

proceedings in manhattan. the day got off to a fiery start. prosecutors wanted to fine donald trump up to $10,000 they say posts that violated his gag order that prevents him from attacking witnesses, jurors and court staff and family. they say that he wilfully violated that order. donald trump's team says he wasn't targeting people because of the case, that he was just responding to political attacks. but when todd blanche, donald trump's lawyer, was pressed on that further, he could not provide supporting evidence and thejudge could not provide supporting evidence and the judge clearly frustrated told him he losing credibility with the court. things did not get much better as the day progressed, with the first witness back on the stand, david pecker, the publisher of the tabloid newspaper, the national enquirer. his testimony

contradicted donald trump's claimed that a hush money payment to stormy daniels ahead of the 2016 election was not about keeping that information from voters, but was to protect his family, his reputation and his family, his reputation and his brand. but david pecker said during a meeting of august 2015 donald trump and his former lawyer michael cohen asked him what he could do to help donald trump's campaign. he said that's when they came up he said that's when they came up with a plan, an agreement among friends, as he put it. that would mean david pecker would publish unflattering stories about donald trump's opponents, and catch and kill any negative stories about him. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at another story making news. the inquiry into it failings at the post office that led to hundreds of prosecutions has heard from the company's former top in—house lawyer, susan crichton.

she has been asked about the handling of horizon it problems — in particular, the language used to describe them. meeting notes from meetings showed the post office's board appear to debate language referring to "bugs" within the horizon system — let's take a listen. it's absolutely 0rwellian, isn't it, the use of the word "exception" now, instead of "bug"? changing the language within the company, crafting a briefing that now refers to exceptions. did you not take responsibility for that briefing, given that you were one of the people drafting it? if i had solely drafted it, it had been my work, then i would have taken responsibility, or would take responsibility for it. i don't have... i can't remember that. susan crichton was general counsel until 2013, as the horizon scandal developed. you're live with bbc news. the us justice department says it will pay almost $140 million

to victims of the disgraced team usa gymnastics dr larry nassar. he was jailed after being convicted of sexually assaulting hundreds of athletes. the fbi was found to have botched its investigation into nassar, leaving him free to continue his assaults for months. nassar abused more than 300 women and girls in total, over 18 years — the olympic champion simone biles was among them. now to some other needs now from around the world. in tennessee, students are protesting after a controversial bill passed in the house of senate, which would allow teachers to carry firearms. the bill goes against recent rallying done by students, who are calling for change, after a school shooting killed six people, three of them children. teachers would be required to get approval from the principal, superintendent and local law enforcement, along with psychological evaluation. justice is at the us supreme court signalled support for starbucks in its challenge to

an order to rehire memphis employees who were fired while they sought to unionise. if starbucks wins the case, it could become legal for workers to be reinstated if they are fired during a labour dispute. a court in moscow has rejected the latest appeal by the american journalist evan gershkovich to be released from prison ahead of his trial on spying charges. the wall street journal reporter has been held in prison for a year. mr ghosh grbic, his employer and the us government all deny the allegations of spying. this was the first time in six months or so that we have been allowed into a moscow court room to see evan gershkovich. this was an appeal court hearing and the appeal against his detainee at detention. there he stayed in the glass and metal cage known as the aquarium in russian courts. he looked in pretty good health and good spirits considering he

has been in a moscowjailfor more than a year now. just to remind you that evan gershkovich, the wall street journal reporter, was arrested in russia in march 2023, accused of spying, a charge which he, his employer and the us government fiercely denied. the wall streetjournal has said the report is being held hostage, as a bargaining chip and the wall streetjournal has accused russia of stockpiling americans and russian jails accused russia of stockpiling americans and russianjails in order to trade them later. among those americans is the former us marine paul whelan, who is currently serving a 16 year sentence for espionage. as in the case of gershkovich, the us authorities have designated mr whelan wrongfully detained, and last year another journalist was arrested. she holds russian and american passports. she works for the prague —based radio free europe

radio liberty. she has been accused of spreading false information about the russian army and could face up to 15 years in prison. as for evan gershkovich, his repeal was deaf his appeal was rejected, he will remain in pre—trial detention in moscow. he will remain in pre-trial detention in moscow. floods, droughts. _ detention in moscow. floods, droughts, cyclones. - detention in moscow. floods, droughts, cyclones. we i detention in moscow. floods, droughts, cyclones. we are l droughts, cyclones. we are seeing more devastating natural events as the climate change worsens. now the climate migration council has published a report on actions to prevent displacement caused by these natural disasters. earlier i spoke to georgetown university's dr elizabeth pears, who helped draft the report. i asked pears, who helped draft the report. iasked her about pears, who helped draft the report. i asked her about what happens when governments cannot or don't want to implement the measures they are proposing. we saw a huge number of people on the move globally last year because of climate —related disasters. do you expect to see that trend continue? absolutely. all of the scientific projections one of the main effects of climate change being an increase in the sudden onset weather events, these flooding and storm

surges, coastal erosion, we will see more of that, it will be the new normal.- will see more of that, it will be the new normal. what is the most important _ be the new normal. what is the most important short-term i most important short—term measure the international community could take to try and prevent such massive migration? the first thing really is to get a handle on disasters, to prevent disasters. to reduce the risk of people having to leave their home, to support people to stay where they are, to protect them when they are displaced, and so i think we have to put a lot of emphasis on our ability to respond to so—called natural disasters. and how do you improve that state of preparedness? especially when we see these disasters often happening in several places more or less at the same time? we several places more or less at the same time?— the same time? we have 32 million people _ the same time? we have 32 million people displaced i the same time? we have 32| million people displaced last year by weather—related events, and that is likely to increase, so we know what to do, in terms of reducing the risk of disasters, we've got tonnes of information and guidance, but it takes resources. 0nce information and guidance, but it takes resources. once a flood occurs or a hurricane,

there is an outpouring of financial support for the victims, but just financial support for the victims, butjust a small fraction of that investment beforehand can reduce the risk of those disasters and prevent people from being displaced. whether it is coastal barriers or structural protection or helping people know where to evacuate, and what are safe measures to ensure that those who are most at risk actually get out of harm's way. those are measures that we should be and could be implement right now. 50 and could be implement right now. ., ., , now. so how do you better boost the ot now. so how do you better boost the pot money — now. so how do you better boost the pot money that _ now. so how do you better boost the pot money that is _ now. so how do you better boost the pot money that is there i now. so how do you better boost the pot money that is there an i the pot money that is there an advance of those disasters, as you are describing? it is really tough, _ you are describing? it is really tough, because i you are describing? it is. really tough, because the pressure is on to on to respond to disasters. there is much less pressure to take measures to reduce the risk of disasters, but the climate migration counciljust disasters, but the climate migration council just today put out a compendium on climate mobility that has lots of very concrete things, that

communities and governments can do to reduce the risk of disasters, and also some of these longer—term effects, like droughts, that are likely to affect large numbers of people in the world and lead to even more mobility.— in the world and lead to even more mobility. many of these disasters hit _ more mobility. many of these disasters hit countries - more mobility. many of these disasters hit countries that i disasters hit countries that are less well off to start with, and often quite densely populated. you are talking about all these great measures that are in the compendium. what do you do when national governments can't or won't implement those measures? first of all, this implement those measures? first of all. this is _ implement those measures? first of all, this is an _ implement those measures? first of all, this is an issue _ implement those measures? f “st of all, this is an issue that affects everyone in the global north and the global south. it's one of the reasons i like working on this issue because it isn'tjust poor countries it isn't just poor countries that it isn'tjust poor countries that are affected, as we have seenin that are affected, as we have seen in the us, europe and other places, and actually some of the smallest countries with less government capacity have done amazingly well, like bangladesh. you know, a cyclone backin bangladesh. you know, a cyclone back in 1970 killed about 300,000 people, and last year, the number of deaths was less

than 100, although the cyclones are actually getting stronger. they've got good evacuation techniques and have done amazing things to really build up amazing things to really build up their structures, to protect people. a small country like vanuatu has a great policy on climate mobility that is really the envy of countries in very different parts of the world. and despite any of those preventative measures that might take place, nevertheless a disaster can hit and people do have to relocate. what needs to be done to better protect people who are forced to move? the immediate measures, when people are evacuated or are displaced, and that is constructing safe shelters, knowing where they are, training personnel to move people out quickly, but also, in the longer term, to get them back home as soon as possible, to have their resources, to reconstruct or rebuild safe houses, and those safe houses may not be in the same place,

it may be necessary to move some communities away from harm's wave. so we need to be thinking both in the short term emergency response, but also the longer term issues of allowing people to live in safety and dignity and not have to leave their home. no one wants to leave their homes. indeed they don't. lots of important work required right around the globe. dr elizabeth ferrers, director of the institute for the study of international migration at georgetown university, thanks for joining georgetown university, thanks forjoining us on bbc news. thanks a lot.— forjoining us on bbc news. thanks a lot. now to matters be ond thanks a lot. now to matters beyond the — thanks a lot. now to matters beyond the globe, _ thanks a lot. now to matters beyond the globe, to - thanks a lot. now to matters beyond the globe, to the i beyond the globe, to the universe. nasa says its voyager1 spacecraft has started sending usable information back to earth again after months of transmitting unintelligible data. voyager one is more than 20 billion kilometres away, making it the most distant man—made object in the universe. and travelling in interstellar space was top victoria gill has more on the probe, thejourney

and the unique valuable data it is sending back to earth. we have ignition and we have liftoff. a spacecraft bound for a journey no one imagined. when voyager1 launched in 1977, its mission was to explore our solar system. it captured detailed images of saturn's rings and discovered that jupiter has a thin ring of its own. then itjust kept going, and in 2012, it became the first human made object to leave our solar system and enter interstellar space. but last year, after nearly 50 years in space, something finally went wrong. the data voyager1 was sending back to earth stopped making sense. nasa engineers worked out that a single chip on its decades old onboard computer had stopped working. to fix it, they transmitted an essential piece of code that was on that broken chip back

to the spacecraft from mission control. it took 22 hours to reach. this very remote reboot worked, and the spacecraft has now sent data reporting its health and status back to earth for the first time in five months. a lot of this technology is 60s, not 70s. we are 2024, and i think quite extraordinary at my age, good god, this thing is still going and it's pretty interesting. by next year, though, its ability to generate enough power to operate its instruments is set to come to an end, leaving it to wander through the milky way and beyond, perhaps for eternity. to infinity and beyond. well, remember you can stay up—to—date on all of these stories covered here, and plenty more besides, on our website. you will find

thatis that is all from me and the team. i will be back shortly with more. i am caitriona perry. stay with us. hello, there. it's not a particularly inspiring weather story at the moment, is it? but we've still got that west—east divide across the country. on tuesday, we had the highest temperatures across south wales, with 16 degrees, and there was some glorious sunshine at times, with a little bit of shelter from the breeze. but out the east, it was disappointingly cool. a brisk northerly wind, temperatures struggled — only around seven degrees across the east yorkshire coast. we're going to keep quite a lot of cloud as well over the next few hours. that will prevent temperatures from falling too far. lowest temperatures to start the day on wednesday morning will be in the far north and west of scotland. we could have some thicker cloud and a little bit of drizzle, first thing wednesday morning, easing away

from south wales and south—west england. but, again, west will be best, in terms of sunshine. a brisk northerly wind feeding in cloud from time to time, few scattered showers, and keeping those temperatures pegged back to single figures. so, a top temperature of nine degrees along the east coast, further west, we'll see 12 or 13 degrees. now, clear skies will continue through wednesday evening and overnight, and that's going to allow those temperatures to fall away to low single figures. so, thursday morning, perhaps a chilly start, quite widely, across the country. and temperatures low enough in rural areas further north and west for a touch of frost, so gardeners and growers take note. but into thursday, this little weather front here could introduce a slight change. it will certainly bring more in the way of cloud, as we go through the latter stages of the morning into the afternoon, and maybe some dribs and drabs of showery rain pushing its way steadily south. so there'll be more cloud a little bit further west,

and the temperatures really disappointing for the end of april, 9—13 degrees once again. moving out of thursday, into friday, sees low pressure starting to push in from the south. that will introduce some wetter weather across central and southern england, but potentially a little less cold. so, as we close out the month of april, perhaps temperatures in the south back to where they should be for the time of year. but don't expect anything dry, settled and sunny. it's going to stay pretty unsettled. but we could see temperatures back up into the mid—teens for some.

voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. hello and welcome. this week, we're finding out why a taylor swift correspondent is actually �*a thing' for some in the media, how �*swiftonomics' is now a real phenomenon. and the actor hugh grant says he's settled his legal case with one of rupert murdoch's newspaper groups for an enormous sum. but we'll start with an important story from the uk that raises big questions for howjournalism works. back in 2020, the health authorities commissioned a report into the care that children and young people who were questioning their gender were getting.

the cass review, as it's called, came out last week,