as hamas responds to a temporary ceasefire proposal for gaza. the prince of wales will return to public duties today for the first time since king charles�* cancer diagnosis was revealed. a new report has suggested that four bolts were missing from a door panel that blew off a boeing 737 max passengerjet shortly after takeoff last month. proposals to improve access to nhs dentists in england are being announced by the uk government today. a by the uk government today. stunning image of a bear a stunning image of a young polar bear drifting to sleep on an iceberg by a british amateur photographer, who was one wildlife photographer of the year people's choice award.

hello, i'm catherine byaruhanga. we start this hour in the middle east. diplomatic efforts to reach agreement on a new ceasefire between israel and hamas in gaza are intensifying. america's top diplomat — secretary of state antony blinken — will meet israeli and palestinian officials today. the talks in tel aviv and the west bank follow reports that hamas has reacted positively to a proposed deal. president biden said there was "some movement". mr blinken said it was possible and essential to come to an agreement. here's a little of what he said after his talks with the qatari prime minister in doha. we had meetings already on the strip in cairo, now today in doha, focused on ensuring as well

that we can use any pause to continue to build our plans for the day after in gaza. security, humanitarian, reconstruction, governance, all bring real challenges with them, but that is exactly why we are and need to be focused on them now. we are also determined to use any pause to continue to pave a diplomatic path forward to a just and lasting peace and security for the region. antony blinken speaking in doha. meanwhile, israel's chief military spokesperson says 31 of the remaining hostages held in gaza are dead. rear admiral daniel hagari said theirfamilies had been informed. israel has previously said 136 hostages were held in gaza. the israeli government has faced growing pressure to make the release of the hostages its main priority. meanwhile, the syrian army says

israel has struck a number of targets in homs province, just north of lebanon. state media said syrian air defences shot down israeli missiles. live now to nick beake, our correspondent injerusalem. reports that hamas has reacted positively to a proposed deal — do we have any idea what this possible ceasefire deal contains? no, we don't, it is really hard to assess at what point we are in this process. forthe assess at what point we are in this process. for the past week hamas have been studying a framework of a deal and what happened last night what they came forward with counterproposals, although a senior member of hamas said he had put forward our positive vision for this negotiation going forward. what is interesting is that the reuters news agency are reporting this morning they have seen a draft of hamas�*s

latest plans and some of them are quite interesting. i think the caveat is that it is behind the scenes negotiations so sometimes information is leaked or certain emphasis is put on different part for a particular aim but what right earth is saying is that there are three parts of the hamas proposals and actually if they were to be put in place, it is a big if, there would be a considerable part in the fighting so apparently they talk is over 45 day initial phase during which the hostages taken by hamas on october the 7th, the women and children would be released and then under that 45 day period during which other hostages were released, the men, and then finally, their bodies, the remains of other people who were taken would be released in that third stage. at the same time, hamas has put a figure on how many palestinian prisoners they want to be released from israel and the

figure is 1500, of those 500 apparently had been given life sentences by israel. so clearly quite a lot for the israelis to accept and that is why president biden has said that, in his words, hamas are asking a little bit too much so it is by no means a simple process. much so it is by no means a simple rocess. . ~' much so it is by no means a simple rocess. a ,, . ., , much so it is by no means a simple rocess. w' ,, . ., , ., process. nick, the secretary of state antony — process. nick, the secretary of state antony blinken _ process. nick, the secretary ofi state antony blinken continues process. nick, the secretary of - state antony blinken continues his visit in the middle east today and he is in israel. what can we expect from his talks with israeli leaders? we know that that number one priority for antony blinken is to try and get a ceasefire in gaza. he is also talking about what would happen after a lull in the fighting or a permanent, happen after a lull in the fighting ora permanent, innate happen after a lull in the fighting or a permanent, innate hope, a permanent end to the fighting and looking even further ahead, it seems a long way off, a two state solution, a palestinian state

alongside israel. so he's talking to israeli politicians today and going to the west bank where he will meet seniorfigures there. he is to the west bank where he will meet senior figures there. he is talking to both sides and the hope is that really constructive discussions will lead to something but i think to go back to where we started, really hard to assess where we are at this point. the positive thing is that backin point. the positive thing is that back in november there were some hostages released so we do have a president that was said there but i think the main fundamental point here is that hamas are talking about a ceasefire which would involve the complete withdrawal of israeli troops from gaza. israel says that is simply not possible, that their mission is to destroy hamas and they won't be moving out anytime soon so at the moment you have two very fundamental positions and it seems all the movement, all the discussion will be on bridging those two positions may be some sort of fudge in that short time which would mean a stop in the fighting which that

people living in gaza are desperate for, the two palestinians who have been living in such a difficult situation for the past four months and for the families of the hostages who were taken, they want to see them return as soon as possible. thank you very much. live now to mina al—oraibi, editor in chief of the national. thank you forjoining us. what is your expectation when there might be or if there might be an agreement for a new ceasefire between israel and hamas?— for a new ceasefire between israel and hamas? ., ., and hamas? today we entered a fifth month of the — and hamas? today we entered a fifth month of the war _ and hamas? today we entered a fifth month of the war so _ and hamas? today we entered a fifth month of the war so the _ and hamas? today we entered a fifth month of the war so the hope - and hamas? today we entered a fifth month of the war so the hope is - and hamas? today we entered a fifth month of the war so the hope is that| month of the war so the hope is that we can see this agreement come to light in the next few days. antony blinken has been doing the rounds speaking to all sides and so have mediators in the region, with egypt and others. the hope is in the next few days that as the correspondence

was just articulating, everything can fall apart at the last minute. the contours of the agreement have truths include hostages, release of palestinian prisoners and relief to allow aid to come into gaza, more aid, at the moment it is at the very minimum. those are the contours, how many days, how many hostages, how many days, how many hostages, how many prisoners is yet to be determined and in the end what is really important is if there is a truce, whetherfor a0 days or a5 days or longer, what happens afterwards? the point about the security situation in gaza is one that israel presses but also the point of governance. the only... the question about israel and the current administration in israel and how long it can last if there is a long—term ceasefire. i how long it can last if there is a long-term ceasefire.— how long it can last if there is a long-term ceasefire. i want to show viewers whose _ long-term ceasefire. i want to show viewers whose live _ long-term ceasefire. i want to show viewers whose live pictures - long-term ceasefire. i want to show viewers whose live pictures we - long-term ceasefire. i want to show viewers whose live pictures we are i

viewers whose live pictures we are getting from occupied west bank and this shows a protest outside the headquarters of the offices of the un agency from palestinian refugees. it seems there is anger about cuts for funding. it seems there is anger about cuts forfunding. how much anger it seems there is anger about cuts for funding. how much anger is there in palestinian territories about the reaction. , , ., ., reaction. there is huge frustration on an official _ reaction. there is huge frustration on an official level— reaction. there is huge frustration on an official level and _ reaction. there is huge frustration on an official level and popular- on an official level and popular level. they play a hugely important role, not only for the 2 million gazans going through terrible circumstances but also refugees in the west bank and they have a hugely important role. also the accusations are still unclear and independent investigation is ongoing, france's former foreign minister has just begun a review so a determination by countries like the us to pull back funding before the investigation is even clearer, even though they have already fired those cited says have

been involved in some activities related to hamas members of hamas, it is still not clear. we haven't seen the full list of allegations and importantly they are an absolute minority. you have had the head visit here in the uae, and spoken to different countries who work are continuing their support. a lot of the governors are continuing their aid. you also have a new set of what the un office which will really deal with relief and long—term reconstruction in gaza and that is led by the netherlands. she was here in the uae and got some financial support to her office but also as had support from the netherlands just to get... had support from the netherlands just to get- - -_ just to get... sorry to interrupt. i 'ust just to get... sorry to interrupt. i just wanted _ just to get... sorry to interrupt. i just wanted to — just to get... sorry to interrupt. i just wanted to raise _ just to get... sorry to interrupt. i just wanted to raise another- just to get... sorry to interrupt. i | just wanted to raise another point before we have to let you go. the israeli government continues to put

pressure, saying the organisation should be defunded based on allegations it is put forward. but just to look at antony blinken's visit to the middle east. he is in israel today but his visit comes as the us is carrying out its own military strikes in the middle east. how much is that weighing on his visit and his discussions with leaders in the region? this visit and his discussions with leaders in the region? this is the first visit for _ leaders in the region? this is the first visit for antony _ leaders in the region? this is the first visit for antony blinken - first visit for antony blinken to the region since three american soldiers were killed injordan and this is a first time that we see jordan being pulled into this conflict. they get men situation continues. —— the yemen situation continues. —— the yemen situation continues. untilthere continues. —— the yemen situation continues. until there is a ceasefire and a longer time resolution for the palestinian issue, unfortunately we will probably see continued instability or war. ., ~'

probably see continued instability or war. ., ~ y probably see continued instability orwar. ., ~' , . probably see continued instability orwar. ., ~ , . ., or war. thank you very much. from the national — or war. thank you very much. from the national newspaper. _ to breaking news from pakistan. at least 12 people were killed and 25 others injured in an explosion in the pishin district of baluchistan, according to a local government official. the blast occurred in front of the party office of an independent candidate from the area. police are trying to determine the cause of the blast, and the injured are being transported to the nearest hospitals. no group has claimed responsibility for today's attack, which happened just a day before the pakistan general elections. for more, let's go live to our correspondent in islamabad. what more can you tell us about these two explosions? the more can you tell us about these two exolosions?— explosions? the first one which we first heard about _ explosions? the first one which we first heard about happened - explosions? the first one which we first heard about happened in -

explosions? the first one which we first heard about happened in the l first heard about happened in the pishin district, 1a dead and 30 injured at the moment according to the hospital but that number seems to be continuing to write so we are keeping a close eye on it. as you mention, this happened outside the offices of a candidate that is standing in the general election, an independent candidate. we understand that he was at the office and was meeting with other officials, party officials to discuss what to do given the election is due to take place tomorrow. the second incident happened and we heard about it in the same hour and that was in a place 150 kilometres away from pishin. we shall find out that four people have died in this particular explosion and there are seven injured but we are also keeping an eye on those totals. this happened at a party office and we understand there were workers gathered inside when this explosion took place. the backdrop to all of this is that there is a general election taking place tomorrow here in pakistan.

there are concerns about security. yesterday we went to a briefing with government officials here who were providing details about that sort of operation. they have thousands of police officers, they say, ranged available in the first instance. they then have paramilitaries and the army are required if there are other incidents. it is a sensitive time for the pakistan government, the authorities because there are international media here who are covering these elections, a lot of focus on these general elections and there is a real need to show that pakistan has control of this and that it can carry out these elections without this sort of fear. two explosions in the same region in baluchistan in the course of a short period of timejust baluchistan in the course of a short period of time just happening this morning. period of time 'ust happening this morninu. , , ., _, . morning. they will be a concern. i wanted to — morning. they will be a concern. i wanted to ask _ morning. they will be a concern. i wanted to ask you _ morning. they will be a concern. i wanted to ask you about - morning. they will be a concern. i wanted to ask you about that, - wanted to ask you about that, because how would such violent happening on the eve of elections not only affect polls but also the

mood in the country? we not only affect polls but also the mood in the country?— not only affect polls but also the mood in the country? we have seen several violent _ mood in the country? we have seen several violent incidents _ mood in the country? we have seen several violent incidents in - mood in the country? we have seen several violent incidents in the - several violent incidents in the course of that last week as well, not just course of that last week as well, notjust in baluchistan but also in kp province so there have been a series of the sort of attacks on the government has been out there trying to reassure people that it is safe, saying there will be police based at a large amount of these polling stations. aided divide the polling stations. aided divide the polling stations into ordinary ones, then sensitive and highly sensitive and have different reactions to them and different sorts of security operations depending on which bracket these polling stations fall into. i suppose their message is that they are trying to have a reassuring set these out legitimate elections and trying to encourage people to come out and vote to make sure any security concerns don't lead to people deciding not to cast their ballot. lead to people deciding not to cast their ballot-— their ballot. thank you very much. carol n their ballot. thank you very much. carolyn davies _ their ballot. thank you very much. carolyn davies in _ their ballot. thank you very much. carolyn davies in islamabad. - their ballot. thank you very much. carolyn davies in islamabad. we l their ballot. thank you very much. l carolyn davies in islamabad. we will have more updates on that story from pakistan throughout the day here on

bbc news. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. england's patient safety commission says the families of children left disabled by an epilepsy drug and women injured by pelvic mesh implants should be given urgent financial help. it follows a review that finds life have been ruined because of concerns about treatment were not listened to. ministers say they will consider and respond to the review. the government has dropped a commitment to increase the money disabled people in england can claim to adapt their homes. the disabled facilities grant is used to make home living easier by funding the installation of the likes of wet—rooms or stairlifts. the government said it had put an additional hundred million pounds towards the grant over two years. mps have warned that cancelling hs2's northern legs means

the project will be "very poor value for money". you can find more news on the bbc website. here in the uk, the prince of wales will return to public engagements today for the first time since his father king charles' cancer diagnosis was revealed. the king is in sandringham as he recovers from his first round of cancer treatment. prince william had taken some time off while his wife, kate, had abdominal surgery. he is now expected to carry out more duties whilst the king steps back from public engagements. live now to our royal correspondent charlotte gallagher, who is outside windsor castle. you are there as that's where prince william will be later. what is he doing? what are we expecting to see from

the prince today? this what are we expecting to see from the prince today?— the prince today? this morning is the prince today? this morning is the location _ the prince today? this morning is the location for _ the prince today? this morning is the location for the _ the prince today? this morning is the location for the prince - the location for the prince william's first public engagement and taking's diagnosis and also since his wife the princess of wales underwent surgery so the occasion is a very spectacular winter cattle and there will be a ceremony for people becoming mbes and obes and later today he will be going to london, short drive from here and attending a gala dinnerfor london's air ambulance. he himself was an air ambulance. he himself was an air ambulance pilot so it is a cause thatis ambulance pilot so it is a cause that is very important to him but a full day at work for prince william. what we are not expecting to see this week however is principally am meeting with his brother prince harry. prince harry flew into the uk yesterday to see his father after his father's diagnosis but we are not expecting any kind of reunion are meeting between the two brothers. at one point they seemed incredibly close but now they have had a very strange relationship for the past couple of years. prince

harry met with his father yesterday at clarence house, the king's london residence, and now the king has flown to norfolk at the sandringham estate where he will rest and recuperate after its first round of cancer treatment and i think what we cancer treatment and i think what we can expect to see over the coming weeks is more senior royals like prince william, queen camilla, princess and, prince edward's stepping up and essentially doing more of these public engagements king is treated for cancer. this more of these public engagements king is treated for cancer.- king is treated for cancer. this is an incredibly _ king is treated for cancer. this is an incredibly difficult _ king is treated for cancer. this is an incredibly difficult time - king is treated for cancer. this is an incredibly difficult time for . an incredibly difficult time for their prince of wales because not only has his father been diagnosed with cancer and is receiving treatment for cancer, but his wife is also recovering from surgery so i can imagine this is a difficult time for him. ., , can imagine this is a difficult time for him. . , , . ., for him. really difficult and obviously — for him. really difficult and obviously he _ for him. really difficult and obviously he is _ for him. really difficult and obviously he is being - for him. really difficult and | obviously he is being pulled for him. really difficult and i obviously he is being pulled in for him. really difficult and - obviously he is being pulled in many different directions at this point. his wife is recuperating at home in winter and he has three children, his wife needs caring for. they do have a staff but their principal

want to be looking after his family as well. also his father has received a cancer diagnosis so we want to be with this father, close to his father and those public engagements he needs to do, like to date this ceremony at windsor castle, across the uk he will be up and down the uk doing engagements. we don't know, overseas trips that have been planned for this year, whether prince william will have to step in and do them whether they will be postponed until the king feels well enough. so i think for a lot of senior royals, it will be a very busy few months.- lot of senior royals, it will be a very busy few months. thank you very much. i very busy few months. thank you very much- i will— very busy few months. thank you very much. i will roll _ very busy few months. thank you very much. i will roll corresponding - much. i will roll corresponding outside of windsor castle. take a look at these pictures. now, take a look at these pictures, filmed on tuesday in bristol showing a queue of people who are all lining up to see a dentist. the government is announcing new

plants to improve access. those plans include offering top up payments for dentists to take on new nhs patients as well as bonuses to work in underserved areas. but health leaders say the measures don't go far enough. here is our health editor. a long queue outside a new dental practice in bristol. local people simply wanting to register as nhs patients. the opening following a public campaign after the previous site closed. the story was covered on bbc breakfast yesterday. the images illustrate the growing sense of frustration at the lack of nhs treatment in areas of the country which have been branded dental deserts. a new government and nhs plan for england has been unveiled today. this will involve 2.5 million more appointments over 12 months and a new patient premium for dentists to treat around one million new patients who haven't seen a dentist for at least two years. nhs fees for dentists paid by the government will rise and around 2a0 dentists will be

offered payments of up to £20,000 to work in under—served areas for up to three years. but the association representing dentists has said the plan doesn't go far enough to tackle the problems. we're not currently spending the money that's already allocated to dentistry and that's because many of my colleagues are finding it difficult to recruit dentists into their practices to deliver on the contract. so what we need is a contract that's attractive to the profession so that dentists on the high street can work within the nhs and see more patients. research by bbc news in 2022 found that nine out of ten dental practices in the uk offering nhs care were not taking on any new adult patients for treatment. some patients were found to be driving hundreds of miles in search of treatment and even pulling out their own teeth. the research led to a parliamentary inquiry. mps' post bags are said to be full of correspondence on the issue. labour argues that the problems

are down to 1a years of conservative neglect. hugh pym, bbc news. a new report has suggested that four boats were missing from a door panel that blew off a boeing 737 max passengerjet that blew off a boeing 737 max passenger jet shortly after take—off last month. the us national transportation safety board has released the initial findings from its investigation on an alaska airlines plane injanuary. it says four key bolts that were meant to lock the unused door to the fuselage appeared to be missing. replying to the report, boeing said it was accountable for what happened. our north america business correspondent erin delmore has more. this investigation focuses on the bolts that are used to keep the door in place on the plane. that door isn't supposed to open.

it plugs up an unused emergency exit. but it did open onjanuary the 5th and it flew off the alaska jet just after take—off in portland. now investigators from the national transportation safety board said that the bolts were missing before january the 5th, and they said that it appears that the alaska airlines plane left boeing's factory without the bolts. the report said that the bolts were removed to make a repair, but it appears that not all the bolts were replaced. this is the most detail we have about what went wrong and it puts the blame on boeing. and just days ago, boeing said that a supplier found new problems with holes drilled on unfinished 737 max planes in production. and the company said it would go back to work on some 50 planes, furthering delivery delays. meanwhile, on tuesday, the head of the federal aviation administration told congress his agency would have more boots on the ground to monitor boeing's production and manufacturing.

returning to their breaking news from pakistan, at least 1a people have been killed and 25 others injured in two reported explosions injured in two reported explosions in the pishin district of baluchistan. that is according to a local government official. one of the explosions happened in front of the explosions happened in front of the party office of an independent candidate from the area. police are trying to determine the cause of the blast and the injured are being taken to hospitals in the area. no group has claimed it carried out the attack which has come just one day before their pakistan general elections on thursday. that is a breaking news, two explosions that have taken place in the baluchistan province of pakistan. you are watching bbc news.

the weather is changing, getting colder and that will bring the risk of snow to some part of the country. on tuesday that temperatures were 1a degrees, ahead of that weather front which is taking rain down into the english channel and following on from that we have colder air moving down from the north and we are seeing wintry showers falling in scotland. could well be a covering of snow in many places, particularly in the north—west there is a danger of snow falling in the central belt of snow falling in the central belt of scotland early in the morning also. increasingly those wintry showers will be confined to northern scotland, rest of scotland have sunny spells and northern ireland and much of england and wales although cloudy in the south, rain in the english channel not far from the south coast. here it will be colder on tuesday but it will be much less windy, typical temperatures of six or 7 degrees. a chilly day and into the colder air, that weather front in the channel

will be swept northwards by this big area of low pressure. that is moving into the colder air and that will give us a risk of snow. these are the temperatures we have first thing on thursday morning. a frosty start in scotland and northern parts of england. in the south, a little milder, rein in southern part of england and wales and into the midlands, as wet weather moves northwards into cold air so we will find sleet and snow. we still have this yellow warning from the met office. the area has changed a bit so we are seeing less snow in the midlands and extending into northern ireland. while there is snow to low levels, it is mainly over the hills with significant hills over the higher hills bringing disruption. we have snow continuing into the evening across northern england, northern ireland and heading into southernmost parts of scotland, a band of wet weather coming into their at midnight. that will bring a

mixture of rain, sleet and snow but we never remove that block of colder air in scotland so we will find snow developing more widely, away from the east coast, more snow in the northern pennines as well. cold east wind in scotland. further south, milder, more likely to have rain which could be on the heavy side.

this is bbc news, the headlines. two bomb explosions have hit the province of buy lukas dunner in pakistan, one day before the general election. at least 17 people were killed. in the middle east, diplomatic efforts to reach agreement on a new ceasefire between israel and hamas in gaza are intensifying. america's top diplomat secretary of state anthony blinken will meet israeli and palestinian officials today. the prince of wales will return to public duties today for the first time since king charles' cancer diagnosis was revealed. a new report suggests that four bolts were missing from a door panel that blew off a boeing 737 max passengerjet shortly after takeoff last month. in the middle east, diplomatic efforts to reach agreement on a new ceasefire between israel

and hamas in gaza are intensifying.