of meetings in hungary. he'll be meeting the hungarian prime minister, victor orban, and hungary's president tamas sulyok. hungary is seen by beiijng as one of its closest allies in the eu, and there have been high levels of chinese investment there. let's speak to our correspondent nick thorpe who's in budapest for us. they have been rolling out the red carpet where you are. how is china viewed in hungary?— viewed in hungary? from the hungarian — viewed in hungary? from the hungarian government, - viewed in hungary? from the hungarian government, very| hungarian government, very positively indeed. there was a long essay by xi jinping positively indeed. there was a long essay by xijinping in positively indeed. there was a long essay by xi jinping in the positively indeed. there was a long essay by xijinping in the hungarian media, the pro—government hungarian media, the pro—government hungarian media, he has been warmly welcomed. the prime minister and his wife were out at the airport to meet him there. very much a popular visitor from the government's point of view. the prime minister here, talking

about hungary wanting to serve as a bridge between china and the european union. whereas, of course, some european leaders and the united states were warning yesterday, suggesting that europe should be wary of a chinese agenda, that china is actually trying to drive a wedge between different eu members in between different eu members in between the eu and the united states. ~ , states. one thing i think is quite siunificant states. one thing i think is quite significant is _ states. one thing i think is quite significant is that _ states. one thing i think is quite significant is that we _ states. one thing i think is quite significant is that we are - states. one thing i think is quite significant is that we are hearing i significant is that we are hearing that there could be an infrastructure project announced after this trip. as we have seen in places like south asia, china resting in countries like sri lanka, nepal, countries that surround some of its biggest rivals, in that case india. in this case, trying to make inroads around europe?— india. in this case, trying to make inroads around europe? that's right. hunua inroads around europe? that's right. hungary has — inroads around europe? that's right. hungary has already _ inroads around europe? that's right. hungary has already attracted - inroads around europe? that's right. hungary has already attracted $16 i hungary has already attracted $16 billion worth of chinese investment, there is talk that by the end of

this year it could increase to as much as 30 billion, and, as you say, infrastructure is very important, as well as electric vehicles there is a budapest to belgrade high—speed railway, which is full of chinese investment. that railway should eventually go all the way to the port cities of greece. so, a lot of chinese investment here into electric vehicles, green technology, into transport infrastructure. and, again, one of the stories, we are not getting a lot of concrete details yet, but possibly investment into hungarian energy, including nuclear energy. just into hungarian energy, including nuclear energy.— into hungarian energy, including nuclear energy. just before we let ou no, nuclear energy. just before we let you go. tell _ nuclear energy. just before we let you go. tell us — nuclear energy. just before we let you go, tell us more _ nuclear energy. just before we let you go, tell us more of _ nuclear energy. just before we let you go, tell us more of what - nuclear energy. just before we let you go, tell us more of what we l nuclear energy. just before we let l you go, tell us more of what we can expect today. we have obviously seen the red carpet are being rolled out, quite a welcome from hungary. what happens throughout the day? through the da , we happens throughout the day? through the day. we are _ happens throughout the day? through the day, we are going _ happens throughout the day? through the day, we are going to _ happens throughout the day? through the day, we are going to have - happens throughout the day? through the day, we are going to have these . the day, we are going to have these serious talks between the hungarian prime minister and the chinese president, but there is a big delegation with the chinese president, the ministries of foreign

affairs, finance, trade, innovation, they are all here. strong delegation. we are not sure where they are going to go but they have a lot of projects they could potentially visit. a new chinese car factory in the south of the country, rumours of a new car factory to be announced, and all of these car battery factories already working, planned or under construction. a wide choice of places to go to, we don't know exactly where they are going to go today. it don't know exactly where they are going to go today-— going to go today. it looks like a sunn da going to go today. it looks like a sunny day where _ going to go today. it looks like a sunny day where you _ going to go today. it looks like a sunny day where you are. - going to go today. it looks like a sunny day where you are. we i going to go today. it looks like a| sunny day where you are. we will going to go today. it looks like a - sunny day where you are. we will be back with you through the day, monitoring that was it. here in the uk, the bank of england will make its monthly announcement about interest rates at mid—day. they've been unchanged for nine months — currently standing at 5.25% — that's the highest they've been for 16 years — as a means of trying to slow inflation. let's speak to sally mitchell,

who's a senior mortgage broker at the mortgage mum. what are you expecting from the bank? h0 what are you expecting from the bank? ., . ., ~ ., , , bank? no change, i know it is very borin: bank? no change, i know it is very boring because — bank? no change, i know it is very boring because it _ bank? no change, i know it is very boring because it is _ bank? no change, i know it is very boring because it is the _ bank? no change, i know it is very boring because it is the sixth - boring because it is the sixth consecutive meeting where there has been no change. but certainly it is not going to go up. let's take some good news from it. but i don't see it being reduced yet. i think the markets are now factoring in a reduction, may be september or october time. reduction, may be september or 0ctobertime. but reduction, may be september or october time. but certainly, what i 0ctober time. but certainly, what i was expecting, early spring, early this year, that reduction has not happened. which is very disappointing for those who are waiting for rates to fall.- waiting for rates to fall. sally, i don't know _ waiting for rates to fall. sally, i don't know how _ waiting for rates to fall. sally, i don't know how much - waiting for rates to fall. sally, i i don't know how much forecasting waiting for rates to fall. sally, i - don't know how much forecasting you do, but when do you think they might come down?— do, but when do you think they might come down? well, up until a few days auo i was

come down? well, up until a few days ago i was thinking _ come down? well, up until a few days ago i was thinking really _ come down? well, up until a few days ago i was thinking really september, | ago i was thinking really september, which would be wonderful for the government, the current government, because then they could quite happily go to the polls in november with a bit of a golden ticket. in the last few days, analysts are saying, and they are far more qualified than me, let me add, they are waiting to hear the tone of the delivery from andrew bailey after the announcement today, because they think that there might just the announcement today, because they think that there mightjust be a smidgen of a chance that we will get one next month. so, injune. but whatever happens, june or september, these several reductions that were forecast at the beginning of this year, you know, the markets are not expecting that, they are expecting a maximum of two, and it will probably be 0.25% each. maximum of two, and it will probably be 0-25% each-— be 0.25% each. given this is your area of specialism, _ be 0.25% each. given this is your area of specialism, what - be 0.25% each. given this is your area of specialism, what about i be 0.25% each. given this is your- area of specialism, what about house prices? because that is what a lot of people will be watching as well. yes, halifax and nationwide released

their house price index is very regularly. 0verall, obviously there are some geographical spots but have bucked the trend, but overall, we have seen an increase, not a huge increase, but it is travelling upwards. it certainly feels that property prices have not come down. i think there is stagnation in the top end of the market. i'm told anything over £1 million is proving very sticky to move. but our market, our property market, is fundamentally really resilient. and i don't see... you know, the crush was foretold, it's all going to go to hell in a handcart, that happened. ifeel to hell in a handcart, that happened. i feel confident that we'll continue to be the case. thank ou so we'll continue to be the case. thank you so much. _ we'll continue to be the case. thank you so much, sally— we'll continue to be the case. thank you so much, sally mitchell, - we'll continue to be the case. thank you so much, sally mitchell, senior| you so much, sally mitchell, senior mortgage broker at the mortgage murmur. the second semifinal of the eurovision song contest is taking place tonight amidst a big increase in security.

officers from denmark and norway have been drafted in to help sweden police the event. 0rganisers are expecting protests about israel's participation in the event — at a time when many are critical of its actions in the conflict in gaza. david sillito reports. malmo, eurovision 2024 and the fans are here in force, but there's also a very visible police presence. it's a bit of a mixed vibe because obviously it's a high security presence. you're aware that there's sometimes more police than people in sequins. and with israel taking to the stage tonight, organisers are being extra vigilant. booing. this was the reaction to eden golan's rehearsalfrom parts of the eurovision audience. there's also been pressure on performers to boycott the event and police are expecting protests. we're expecting some demonstrations,

of course, and voicing of opinions and the right to demonstrate is highly protected in the swedish constitution. so it's been a part of our planning work since the beginning. but on stage all efforts are being made to keep the event free of politics. ireland's bambie thug was told to remove some body writing with the word ceasefire and outside the venue, there's not quite the same atmosphere of previous years. there's definitely a wariness this year. last year in liverpool you'd see performers out and about amongst the crowds mingling, not this year. they're staying indoors as much as possible. and when they do go into the arena, it's under police escort. there is still plenty of the eurovision spirit, that open celebratory mix of daft, moving and joyful. but for an event that tries to avoid politics, this is a testing moment. david sillito, bbc news, malmo.

we will have full coverage of the eurovision song contest on the bbc news and the website. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

a british toddler who was born deaf can now hear unaided, after becoming the first person in the world to receive a new gene therapy treatment. shortly before 0pal sandy's first birthday, she was given an infusion in her ear that replaced the faulty dna with a working copy of the gene. experts from cambridge's addenbrookes hospital say there's huge potential for this new treatment. 0ur health reporter, michelle roberts has the story. blows whistle. yay! 18—month—old 0pal is learning how fun making noise can be. yeah! she's the first person to get a new type of gene therapy treatment

for an inherited deafness she was born with. her parentsjo and james say it was a really hard decision to make. it was really scary, but i think we'd been given a really unique opportunity with no real evidence that any harm or adverse effects was likely to come to her. and i think a lot of parents with, regardless of their difficulties their children face, to be given an opportunity to potentially make obstacles easier for her to overcome was a risk definitely worth taking. surgeons carried out 0pal�*s procedure just before her first birthday. the infusion replaces the faulty dna causing 0pal�*s genetic condition. a modified, harmless virus delivers a working copy of the 0tof gene. that treats the sound sensing cells in the inner ear or cochlear. the new gene means they can carry the signals they should. 0pal�*s operation went to plan. gene therapy in her right ear and a cochlear implant in her left.

just a few weeks later, she could hear loud sounds. absolutely mindblowing. i was at work at the time and you messaged me to say what had gone on. and i'm not sure i believed it at the start. kept my phone up. i said it wasjust a fluke, she must have reacted to something else. i got home from work and straight away, take the cochlear implant off, testing it out. banging from the bottom of the stairs. now she can even hear whispers in her gene therapy ear. that was 2a weeks post—surgery, and we heard the phrase "near normal hearing." she was turning to really soft sounds. yeah. they played us the sounds that she was turning to and were quite mindblown by how how soft it was, how quiet it was. they're sounds that i think in day to day life you might not

even notice yourself, sort of thing. 0pal�*s part of an international study and experts hope the treatment could work for other types of profound hearing loss, too. this is a very specific gene for quite a rare type of hearing loss. so what i'm hoping is that we can start to use gene therapy in young children, restore hearing from a variety of different kinds of genetic hearing loss, and then have a more one and done type of approach where we actually restore the hearing. they don't have to have cochlear implants and other technologies that have to be replaced. big sister nora has the same rare gene as 0pal. for daddy? good girl! keys for daddy. more than half of hearing loss cases in children have genetic causes, so there's big potentialfor this new type of therapy. michellejoins me now with more on this from the newsroom. you mentioned that this was part of

an international study. tell us more about that. , , ., , ., about that. yes, they are starting small. about that. yes, they are starting small- they _ about that. yes, they are starting small. they will _ about that. yes, they are starting small. they will be _ about that. yes, they are starting small. they will be doing - about that. yes, they are starting small. they will be doing a - about that. yes, they are starting small. they will be doing a few. small. they will be doing a few children. 0pal is the first one. until now, it has only been tried in animals. you can understand when we heard from jo, her mother, how nerve—racking it was to take that leap of faith, to try it in their daughter. but they are starting with a view children to begin with, just in one ear. if that goes well, they will be starting to try it in both ears for children with this type of gene. it ears for children with this type of uene. , ., ears for children with this type of iene, , ., , ., , ears for children with this type of uene. , ., , ., ., gene. it is for people who have inherited hearing _ gene. it is for people who have inherited hearing loss. - gene. it is for people who have | inherited hearing loss. personal admission, iam inherited hearing loss. personal admission, i am deaf in my right year. how might this help people with hearing problems that aren't inherited? , , ., ., , inherited? this is for a very secific inherited? this is for a very specific gene, _ inherited? this is for a very specific gene, this - inherited? this is for a very| specific gene, this particular therapy. but the hope is if there are other ones that are genetic, have genetic causes, you could

change the type of gene that you put into the therapy, and treat war conditions. we know that gene therapy as a whole is being used in a lot of different medicines now. they are using it to try to tackle things like cancer. it's a really exciting therapy area. but it's important to point out that it is an option, there are lots of other things out there in terms of cochlear implants and also people using sign language, so it is another option that people can think about. just another option that people can think about. , , , ., i. another option that people can think about.�* , , ., y., ., about. just before we let you go, i want to go — about. just before we let you go, i want to go back _ about. just before we let you go, i want to go back to _ about. just before we let you go, i want to go back to opal's - about. just before we let you go, i want to go back to opal's story, i about. just before we let you go, i i want to go back to opal's story, you want to go back to 0pal�*s story, you mentioned her sibling has a similar condition, the inherited loss, but is being treated differently. how are the family doing, and is this a long—term solution for 0pal? the long-term solution for opal? the ho -e is long-term solution for opal? the hope is that _ long-term solution for opal? the hope is that it — long—term solution for opal? tia: hope is that it is long—term solution for opal? tue: hope is that it is a long—term solution for opal? tt2 hope is that it is a one—off treatment. we really don't know at the moment because it is early, early research. but that is certainly what the doctors are

aiming forand hoping certainly what the doctors are aiming for and hoping will work in opal's case. like her older sister, nora, she has a cochlear implants. opal hasjust got nora, she has a cochlear implants. opal has just got one in nora, she has a cochlear implants. opal hasjust got one in her non—gene therapy ear, whereas nora has them in both ears. they are good at helping a person who wants to to hear some noises. but you have to train the ear to hear that sort of sound, because it is not quite the same as the regular noises that other people would hear. ok. same as the regular noises that other people would hear. ok, michele roberts, other people would hear. ok, michele roberts. thank— other people would hear. ok, michele roberts, thank you _ other people would hear. ok, michele roberts, thank you very _ other people would hear. ok, michele roberts, thank you very much - other people would hear. ok, michele roberts, thank you very much for- roberts, thank you very much for taking us through what is a really interesting and important story. thank you. rescue teams are still trying to reach people who may have survived being trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building in south africa. at least eight people were killed when the five—storey building, which was under construction, came down in the southern city of george on monday. 38 people are unaccounted for. shingai nyoka sent this report.

three days into this rescue mission, and hopes of finding survivors is fading. among those who are missing, 29—year—old delvin safels. we first met his father at the scene, clinging to hope. i believe my son will come out there alive. i believe because, since yesterday, every now and then he sent us messages. in his final message, delvin sounded increasingly desperate. his girlfriend, nicole, also sent him this photo of their two—year—old son, zaya, to help him stay positive. then rescuers heard a sound. whoa! as night fell, three people

were pulled from the rubble. applause we later learned one of them was delvin. we are very happy. he's got a smile on his face. and when i saw him walk, it was one of my greatest moments. as hopes dwindle for those still missing, delvin is likely one of the last survivors. shingai nyoka, bbc news, george. now to the devastating floods in brazil. police have been deployed in south—eastern brazil to prevent attacks on rescue workers — where many people have no supplies of drinking water or electricity. 100 people are now known to have died in the state of rio grande do sul. dozens of people are missing and it's reported that more meghan owen has more from the studio on the striking pictures of the damage.

now, this is a calm agricultural region, but it's been pretty hit by some extreme weather over the last few years, and this is no exception. i want to take you now through some of the striking satellite images of the flooding. now, before, this was the gremio arena. it's a football stadium in the capital, port alegre. and we can see that the floods have completely swamped that football ground there. next, we have the river taquari. now, this has completely burst its banks. we can see on this satellite image just how much that water has overflowed there. next we have the local airport, which is salgado filho. and, since the flooding, the runway and the roads have been again completely submerged by that water except for the buildings. and finally, we have more of a residential area. now, here we have the cai river. and since the flooding, we can see that the river has burst its banks into all of those residential areas. now, this isjust a small part of the flooding,

and we know that many people have been affected. in fact, in terms of people being displaced, over 200,000 people have been made homeless and 1.4 million people have been affected, leading them to try dramatic attempts to escape their homes. this is a footbridge in the region, and people have been camping out on that footbridge. but there's also been a number of rescue efforts. we know that military, and police, and volunteers have been trying desperately to evacuate people who are stuck in these areas, many of them unable to access clean drinking water. the governor of the region has also said that there is more rainfall expected over the next week. you're watching bbc news. a man who was injured in a sword attack in london last week has been describing how he felt after being attacked inside his home in hainault. henry de los rios polania has now left hospital after an operation to repair his right hand.

he's been speaking to our special correspondent, lucy manning. i thought i was going to die, to be honest, i thought i was going to die leaving my wife and my child. um... we thought we were going to die that morning. it was only to, i believe a miracle happened in the room. ifeel so helpless, seeing my hand cut and looking around how to protect myself. all i see was pillows and teddy bears. there was nothing that i could use to stop him from attacking us. but i do believe that it was a miracle, what happened in that room. yeah, it was, it's a nightmare, i can't... me and my family, i don't think

we will be able to go back. we get flashbacks. i get flashbacks. you don't think you'll be able to go back to live there? i don't think so, i don't think so. it will feel unsafe for me and my family. if it's ok to ask, how is your daughter doing? she's just four, is she? i hope she doesn't remember anything, ijust hope so. but she did saw, the guy with the sword, and... and ijust pray and hope she doesn't get any memory from it. obviously, on that awful morning, daniel anjorin was killed as well. what are your thoughts for his family today? i feel so sorry for them.

isaw him. when i got close to the ambulance, i saw him on the floor. yeah, it shouldn't happen. it shouldn't have happened. ifeel so sorry for their family and for everyone. who do you want to thank for the help that you received on that day? to this, i would say to everyone that came forward, starting with the paramedics to the police and to the medics, to the doctors and the nhs that they've done, they do a good job, a greatjob. and i want to thank god for keeping me alive. to this, i would say to everyone that came forward, starting with the paramedics to the police and to the medics, to the doctors and the nhs that they've done, they do a good job,

a greatjob. and i want to thank god for keeping me alive. your sister said afterwards that she thought you were a hero. i do believe i'm a hero because i protected my family. i put my body to stop the blades and... and, yeah, i would do everything for my family. especially for my little one, she's my angel, she's my angel. that is it for this hour. now time to look at the weather. hello. we've got a long awaited spell of dry and sunny weather for many of us over the next few days. not quite dry everywhere. a bit of rain around across the far north of scotland. and we'll also see some misty, murky patches during the mornings. they could be a little bit slow to clear. so, not wall—to—wall blue skies for the next few days, but high pressure is bringing a lot of dry, settled weather, with light winds, too. now, we're likely to start thursday morning with that patchy rain in the far north—west,

but further south, i think some mist and some fog patches around here and there, particularly so for parts of the south—west of england and wales. could be some mistiness creeping into east anglia. around some of these irish sea coasts, the isle of man, towards cumbria, some of that fog could be quite slow to clear. for scotland, there'll be some brighter spells across eastern areas — like aberdeenshire, for instance — but there'll be more cloud and outbreaks of rain moving in across the western isles, parts of highland too. that rain looks like it eases away, pushes a little bit further northward. so for much of the uk, dry with sunny spells, and that's going to lift those temperatures to somewhere between around 19 to 22 degrees for many of us. just a little bit cooler across the north of scotland. now, through thursday evening, overnight into friday, we've got some more rain that'll push across parts of highland. elsewhere, dry once again, relatively mild temperatures — in double figures for many of us. but again, i think friday morning could see a few misty patches that will gradually clear away. so friday itself, i think longer spells of sunshine on offer, light winds and those temperatures probably up a degree or so. so more widely, we're looking at temperatures in the low 20s, possibly the mid—20s in the south. still a little cooler than that for stornoway and lerwick, for instance.

into the weekend, high pressure still close, but it slips away towards the east, and that willjust open the doors for areas of low pressure to try and move in from the west. but i think saturday itself, a good deal of dry weather. cloud will tend to bubble up through the day, and that could just spark off one or two showers, perhaps northern england, southern scotland, but they'll be hit—and—miss. temperatures are again up in the mid 20s — could see 2a in one or two places. similar start to the day on sunday, but you'll notice these showers trying to push in towards the west. they could be quite slow—moving, potentially heavy and thundery in places. where it does stay dry, probably towards the south and south—east, we could well see temperatures again in the mid—20s, but then it looks like the showers will dominate as we head into next week. so, more unsettled weather on the cards for the start of next week. still a little bit warmer than average, but not as warm as the next few days.

live from london, this is bbc news. president biden warns israel the us will stop supplying some weapons if it launches a major ground invasion in rafah. sir keir starmer faces criticism from some of his own backbenchers — for allowing a conservative mp tojoin his labour party. vladimir putin addresses russia's victory day military parade — justifying its war on ukraine — saying russia is living through a difficult period. a british toddler born deaf receives a world first gene therapy treatment — allowing her to hear unaided.

hello, welcome to this hour. we begin with the war in gaza — president biden has said the us will not supply heavy weapons to israel which could be used in a major assault on rafah in southern gaza. the president says munitions will be sent that allow israel to defend itself, but that the country would not keep washington's support if it carried out operations in densely populated areas. israel's envoy to the united nations said mr biden's remarks were "disappointing" and that a pause in the transfer of weapons will significantly impair israel's ability to achieve military objectives. more on that in a moment, but first here's more of what president biden said. civilians have been killed in gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centres. and i made it clear that if they go into rafah, they haven't gone in rafah yet.