this is bbc news, the headlines: the syrian government blames israel for deadly airstrikes near the city of aleppo, which killed at least 42 people. rishi sunak faces criticism after giving a knighthood to the largest conservative party donor. delays and long queues reported at dover as the easter getaway gets under way. and one of the biggest blockbuster movies of last summer, oppenheimer, is released for the first time in japan. if you have just joined if you havejustjoined us, hello. rail travellers are being urged to check their plans in advance. it is notjust ports, roads and trains are

busy this easter. airports and airlines are expecting passenger on airlines are expecting passenger on a bus to return to pre—pandemic levels. in the uk there are reports of long queues of motorists waiting to board ferries at dover as the easter getaway begins. the ferry service dfds says there are delays because of high winds in the channel. earlier i was joined by our transport correspondent katy austin and host of the bbc travel show — carmen roberts. carmen told me about the issues facing travellers in dover. yes, it's not a good start for many holiday—makers. about 20,000 cars are expected to get through dover this easter weekend. if you look on social media, holiday—makers are saying they have arrived at the port at 2am and 3am and it's taken them up to three hours to get checked in. only to find that their ferry is delayed. so these ferries crossing the channel overnight have been buffeted by winds of up to 70—80mph from storm nelson. so it's not a good start. i suppose because it is the holiday season those ferries are packed with people, so any little delay and then you suddenly have all

that traffic queueing on the motorway is trying to get it over. that's right. there is a huge knock—on effect. on social media at the port of dover is saying expect queues of up to 90 minutes. but clearly motorists will beg to differ. ferry companies are also taking to social media to say, listen, if you miss yourferry, if you miss your ship we will put you on the next available one. it would be awful if you missed your easter break. people are travelling, though, this easter? yes, they are, they are travelling more than ever and i think there seems to be more confidence. i guess it is a hangoverfrom covid when we couldn't travel. there are statistics to show that people, even though there is a cost of living crisis, people are setting aside money to invest in holidays. let's go to manchester airport and our transport correspondent katy austin. we have been talking about the ferries, but what does it look like in terms of the airlines?

obviously, the past couple of years has been really difficult for airlines and airports, the whole industry, we had covid and then there were staff shortages and then there were air traffic control problems as well so they are all really hoping for a good year this year. in terms of passenger numbers, the numbers look really strong. the demand is clearly there. here at manchester airport they think it could be their busiest ever easter weekend. helped, they think, by the fact that easter falls pretty early this year. and that means that you have a lot of schools breaking up at the same time and it makes it a really big getaway. numbers here they think will be about 320,000 passengers coming through manchester over the long weekend, that's about 8% up on last year as well. it's interesting what carmen was saying. there is demand for travel despite the cost of living pressures and one travel agent group said to me that bookings for the easter holidays as a whole,

they are seeing 9% up on last year as well so even though prices have gone up, holidays have got more expensive, people seem to be booking, albeit maybe more like all—inclusive to cover their costs. the big question of course is with the numbers so high, with those volumes returning, will the system hold up? i know there has been a lot of focus in the industry on resilience, and making sure that everyone talks to each other, they have the right staff, the right communication. i've been asking the boss of manchester airport what the airport and their partners have done to make sure things do go smoothly. we are working very closely with the airlines and with national air traffic control services just to make sure we're all reallyjoined up, and of course we have on—site our team of 100 people in the resilience team ready to respond to any issues. you have extra staff on for the weekend? absolutely. you look at how many passengers are coming and make sure you have the right number of security staff, so if i think about security 100% of people in february queued less than 15 minutes and that's the sort of performance i expect this weekend. i was passing through

london st pancras just before six o'clock this morning and the queues for the eurostar were very large. it is trains as well that people will be heading out on. yeah, that's right, all forms of travel. not everybody flies overseas to get some sun. people travel within the uk or, as you say, on the eurostar across to europe to go and visit friends or family orjust get away. there is always a slight fly in the ointment over the easter weekend in that network rail tends to do quite a lot of engineering works at this time, and that's the case again this time round. so one big example, it's not the only example, but a big example is that london euston railway station is pretty much closed today, apart from london overground. the kind of local trains in london. so that will have quite a big impact. that is closed from today until monday. so if you are going to take the train, it is definitely a weekend to check before you travel,

which is always good advice anyway, but especially over this weekend. absolutely. and, carmen, the other bits of good advice we should put out is that travel insurance is vital particularly if we see the situation get worse in dover. that's right. i think all travellers should be aware of their rights and read the fine print and know what you are covered for. if there are delays, your compensation, know what compensation you are entitled to. and travel insurance is so key, especially during these busy holiday periods when delays are likely. carmen roberts from the travel show and of course you can tune into bbc local radio for the latest travel news in your area. parents at a primary school in aberdeenshire have complained after they were offered a choice of class photographs, with or without children with complex needs in them. aberdeenshire council has apologised to families at aboyne primary saying the decision was not taken

by the school. our reporter rachel bell has more. this is where i get really emotional. natalie�*s daughter, erin, attends aboyne primary. like many parents across the country, she looked forward to seeing her class photo. what she saw came as a shock. there was two options for the photograph, so i opened the first one. erin's in it, she looks amazing. opened the second one and she was missing. two different classes were pictured with and without pupils with additional support needs — including one pupil in a wheelchair. it'sjust, it's beyond belief that they could do that, and obviously massively devastating to us as a family, to the other parents that are affected by it. to effectively see your child erased orto, um... ooh! hear my voice choke. she breathes shakily yeah, to give parents a choice or to think that those children don't have any...

any less or any more of a right to actually be in these pictures, to be part of their community, to be part of their class...just is really disappointing. aberdeenshire council has apologised, and says it appreciates the distress and hurt this has caused. in a letter sent to parents, the headteacher said that this was not a decision made by anyone here at the school. she said it should never have happened and was totally u na cce pta ble. the photography company has been asked to remove those alternative photographs, and the school says it will be terminating its working relationship with them. tempest photography says it's investigating the matter, that it had spoken to the photographer involved and the school, and that at this stage there was no further comment. my only goal, you know, in raising awareness about this is just to make sure that no other family or child experiences that, because the pain... ..is deep. for these children specifically, they're left out of a lot of things.

they don't necessarily have voices. they are unseen, unheard in so many ways in life. if a photographer thinks that that's ok, i just feel like there's education that needs to go on everywhere about inclusion, and it doesn't give me hope for erin, you know, navigating life, well, if this is, you know, the way that people accept that... sorry! ..they can be treated. rachel bell, bbc news. to indian extent deepening religious polarisation and increasing islamophobe you have marked narendra modi's second term in power. ahead of the general election which is due to begin next month people from the muslim community which constitutes india's largest minority have told the bbc they feel they are being marginalised and suppressed. the government denies the allegations. our south asia correspondent uk to live my reports from northern india. a warning that her report contains images some viewers may find

distressing. india is home to one of the largest muslim populations in the largest muslim populations in the world. the strength of anxiety in the muslim man ot has rarely ever been as deep as it is now under narendra modi's government. on the streets of the capital delhi a policeman assaulted muslims offering prayers. just outside goa a muslim man was beaten by a mob, forced to chant the name of a hindu deity. and injaipur in the north—west, a family devastated by perhaps the most chilling incident of violence against muslims in india. her husband, the father of their five

children was among three muslim passengers shot dead by a railway policeman on a train. if he was a muslim he would have been hanged by now but that won't happen because he is a hindu. his daughter said. happen because he is a hindu. his daughtersaid. no happen because he is a hindu. his daughter said. no one can return my father to us. the constable filmed her standing with a foot on his bloodied body, a man who is meant to protect people, issues a threat seemingly to india's muslims. "we know your masters are in pakistan but if you want to live here vote for prime minister narendra modi. " the policeman is being tried for murder. but it has rattled the community. murder. but it has rattled the community-— murder. but it has rattled the communi . ., , ., ,, ., community. human rights groups have recently raised — community. human rights groups have recently raised concerns _ community. human rights groups have recently raised concerns about - community. human rights groups have recently raised concerns about what i recently raised concerns about what they say are illegal demolitions and targeted specifically at muslim

homes, businesses and places of worship in different parts of india. behind me here is the debris of a mosque in south delhi, next to it there was a muslim religious school. historians have said that this mosque was at least 600 years old. the government, however, says these were illegal structures and destroyed it all. the school was home to dozens of children, most of them orphans. seen in these videos filmed by their teachers before the demolition. they are now scattered. we met 12—year—old mohammed, temporarily housed at another islamic school. islamic school. i feel fear whenever i think of that moment, he said. of bulldozers and policemen. they forced us out and didn't allow us to take even our shoes. it was a cold winter morning.

the indian government didn't respond to the bbc�*s questions. but we met a muslim spokesman from the prime minister's party. it is muslim spokesman from the prime minister's party-— minister's party. it is the opposition _ minister's party. it is the opposition parties - minister's party. it is the opposition parties who i minister's party. it is the i opposition parties who are minister's party. it is the - opposition parties who are using minister's party. it is the _ opposition parties who are using the muslim community as a shield. the muslim community as a shield. the muslim community is absolutely comfortable, they're happy. people have told us — comfortable, they're happy. people have told us this, _ comfortable, they're happy. people have told us this, we _ comfortable, they're happy. people have told us this, we have - comfortable, they're happy. peoplej have told us this, we have recorded this. ordinary people, not political parties. if this. ordinary people, not political arties. ., ., ., , parties. if one or two people say such things _ parties. if one or two people say such things it — parties. if one or two people say such things it cannot _ parties. if one or two people say such things it cannot be - parties. if one or two people say such things it cannot be true - parties. if one or two people say such things it cannot be true for| such things it cannot be true for the entire community. the ruling -a the entire community. the ruling party does _ the entire community. the ruling party does not — the entire community. the ruling party does not have _ the entire community. the ruling party does not have a _ the entire community. the ruling party does not have a single - the entire community. the ruling party does not have a single mp| the entire community. the ruling - party does not have a single mp from the country's largest minority. just one more factor that contributes to the unease we found on the ground. there is a major sense of insecurity. for example, if you take your microphone and walk around here they will not be many people looking to talk to you. the most beautiful thing about india is its diversity but that is now being — is its diversity but that is now being crushed and the main victims are muslims. being crushed and the main victims are muslims-—

are muslims. critics see the upcoming — are muslims. critics see the upcoming election - are muslims. critics see the upcoming election as - are muslims. critics see the upcoming election as an - are muslims. critics see the - upcoming election as an inflection point for india's long cherished secular ideals. yogita limaye, bbc news, delhi. it was one of last summer's big blockbuster movies — and it swept the board during the awards season. but up until now, people injapan haven't been able to see the film oppenheimer — but that's changed as it opened in cinemas today. the film tells the story of the scientist, j robert oppenheimer. he created the first nuclear bomb, which was later used against japan during world war ii, killing more than 200,000 people, a decision allied leaders controversiallyjustified as shortening the war. the decision to show the film injapan is sensitive one, as our tokyo correspondent shaimaa khalil reports from hiroshima. explosion this was the bomb, nevertheless, that foreshortened the war and prevented the further killing of hundreds of thousands. the first atomic bomb exploded almost directly above this building

here in hiroshima. the city was flattened and the stone stands as a reminder of the devastation and carnage. oppenheimer may be this year's most celebrated film, but for the people here, the story cuts much deeper. you are the man who gave them the power to destroy themselves. and the world is not prepared. the biopic, based on the life, work and moral dilemma of the enigmatic scientist, is finally being shown injapan nearly a year after its initial release. but some criticized the film for not portraying the terror his invention unleashed on the city and its people. i was almost like offended in some scenes. like they are talking about hiroshima again and again, but in the meeting room, not thinking about people. translation: we were often educated i from the perspective of the japanese i . victims, but in this film they say.

the use of atomic bombs saves lives. when i heard this, i felt - as if i had learned something new from the american point of view land from the world's point of view. i i translation: what struck me was i the sense of excitement among people celebrating the experiment and the dropping of the atomic bomb. i felt disgusted. toshiyuki maki was three when hiroshima was hit. he still remembers seeing a bright light in the sky, ash flying around and the bodies in the streets days after the bombing. translation: so i wish they'd shown the burned ruins of hiroshima. - the museum here has displays of other children's heads were burned and their clothes were burnt. i wanted people in the us in particular to be able to see this. he continues to speak out against nuclear weapons. he says it's important for people here to watch the film like he did and keep

the conversation going. translation: my biggest worry right i now is that the us, russia or china i might test a nuclear device without us knowing. i think there are smaller and better performing nuclear weapons and there could be the next oppenheimer in the shadows now. hiroshima's peace memorial stands as a symbol of resilience, sounding the alarm from a city that knows first—hand the terrors of nuclear warfare. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, hiroshima. dog attacks cost farmers in the uk more than £2.4 million last year, in lost livestock and vets bills, according to data from the insurer, nfu mutual. that's an increase of 30% on 2022. our south west england correspondent, jenny kumah reports. came down over the brow of the hill and the bottom hedge — it was just littered with dead ewes and injure ewes. orphaned lambs on this

farm in west devon. your legs have gone, haven't they, hey? all right, we'll be back for you. chris dawe discovered the shocking scenes on his morning rounds a month ago. then went... there's some in the gateway, hung up in the gate. went to the next field and it was the same against the bottom hedge. it's just horrific — just, you know, sheep just ripped to pieces. all they're doing is defending their lambs. there's one down the bottom with her ear missing, next to her. it's just horrific — absolutely horrific to find. more than a0 sheep were killed. some survived the carnage, but their injuries were so serious, they had to be put down later. all the hard work's done. the ewes have given birth. then you've looked after them, you've turned them out. that should be the easy part, then — just, they're away to grow for the summer. and just to find them just in pieces is absolutely horrific. heartbreaking. this footprint was found in one of the fields, and casts were sent to the police. the family believe their livestock were attacked by a number of large dogs who escaped their homes at night. dna samples are also being looked at as part of the investigation.

work is under way to stop these incidents happening in the first place. this is operation recall in action in dorset. so we're just out sort of educating people on sort of livestock and sheep that are out — obviously lambing season's starting now. yeah. _ across the country, police are out this week, raising awareness about the need to have dogs on a lead near livestock. why do you think there's been an increase in dog attacks on livestock? put it down to covid — a lot of people went out and purchased dogs during that time, and they weren't able to train them sufficiently, and it's led to a bit of an increase. they weren't able to socialise their dogs and there was a lack of training for those particular dogs. lamb bleats there's ia orphaned lambs on the day. we managed to foster two... back in west devon, the dog attacks have cost this farming family around £10,000 in lost livestock and vets' bills. police say what's frustrating is that incidents like these are entirely preventable if dogs are kept under control near livestock.

jenny kumar, bbc news, devon. from the big cats to the great apes. it's 20 years on from sir david attenborough's life of mammals documentary — and now researchers are discovering the problems faced by different species in a rapidly changing world. our climate and science reporter esme stallard explains. attenborough: there are more than | 6,000 species of mammals on earth. | and as our world changes, so must they. this latest attenborough series captures new mammal behaviours

on film for the first time, as they adapt to a world dominated by the most successful mammal of all — us. humans have changed three quarters of the earth's surface. we're changing the world in so many different ways, and animals are having to adapt in real time. it's essentially evolution in action. we see otters navigating the busy streets of singapore, polar bears filmed for the first time hunting reindeers inland as the sea ice rapidly melts, and howler monkeys mistaking live electrical wires for tree branches. there are some sad realities in this series, but also some successes. recent advances in camera technology means new night—time sequences could be captured. the troop is now fully alarmed. so she becomes bolder. the series is a celebration of mammals — you know, how remarkable they are, how adaptable they are. but i suppose the message behind it is that we are mammals ourselves, so let's find a way to share this planet with all the mammals. and, like all attenborough series, it provides us with some inspiration of how we can protect these species. esme stallard, bbc news. beyonce has released her newest album today — and her first ever country album titled, act ii: cowboy carter.

let's have a quick listen. # texas ain't no hold �*em solo our cards down, down, down. across her previous albums she has already sold over 200 million records — whilst racking up 22 top—ten singles on the billboard charts. and that includes nine number one hit singles. she's also accumulated great critical acclaim, having last year achieved the record for individual grammy awards at 32. the only thing we know from beyonce is to expect the unexpected, we knew it would be country tinged but she just reinvents herself and any genre that she steps foot into any time so i think it's fantastic.— i think it's fantastic. texas hold 'em which _

i think it's fantastic. texas hold 'em which we — i think it's fantastic. texas hold 'em which we played _ i think it's fantastic. texas hold 'em which we played a - i think it's fantastic. texas hold 'em which we played a little - i think it's fantastic. texas hold - 'em which we played a little snippet of committees on tiktok, youtube shorts, that is so catchy. it is of committees on tiktok, youtube shorts, that is so catchy.— shorts, that is so catchy. it is and i think it speaks _ shorts, that is so catchy. it is and i think it speaks to _ shorts, that is so catchy. it is and i think it speaks to her— shorts, that is so catchy. it is and i think it speaks to her universali i think it speaks to her universal kind of worldwide appeal. and the fact that we don't necessarily historically think, oh, beyonce a country and yet she puts her mind to it, studies the history, and then we get the art piece that is the recent album and the singles from it. yeah, it's interesting because she posted that the album was born out of an experience that i had years ago where i did not feel welcomed. a lot of the country industry doesn't really like beyonce. a lot of the country stations aren't playing the songs, are they? yeah. so it's widely accepted, or we presume that that is from her 2016 performance at the country music awards. she sang daddy lessons.

and unfortunately, i think there is a hostility to certain people who don't look or act a certain way within the country genre. and i think the presence of beyonce, beyonce threaten certain people. and so she even said in her own post on instagram when the artwork was revealed for this album, that that was kind of what spurred her to dive a little deeper into the history of country music. and this album has been born and it really feels like a love letter to country, but also her upbringing and to specifically black women who she's platformed on the album, which is an amazing thing that country doesn't often do. yeah. why do you think it is? because if i think taylor swift, of course, started off as a country artist and has done phenomenally well, but the country industry not taking to beyonce. i find that quite strange. yeah, i think unfortunately we would like to think that the world is all, you know, roses and daisies. but i do think race has a large part to play. i think some people almost feel that beyonce needs to, you know, be in her box, which is why it's so special that she has worked alongside linda martell, for instance, who was the first commercially successful black woman who was raised in segregated south carolina in the 1940s, who even herself, in a track

on the album, says genres are a funny thing. you know, it's this idea that beyonce wants to be able to mold and and meld things, and melt things together. sorry. and i think to some people, they take that as a bit of an affront to a historically quite white industry. yeah. do you think the fact now that beyonce has a country album, it's going to encourage more people into the genre generally? yeah, exactly. and this is what i don't really understand of the opposition. if you are someone who says you love country music, surely you would appreciate any and all eyes on the country genre that beyonce is now bringing from her mass markets elsewhere. and if that is still an issue to you, i would perhaps beg the question, you know, why is it so upsetting to you that a black woman who has historically been made to feel uncomfortable within that genre is excelling? perhaps that's something and a discomfort that you need to unpack rather than a job that beyonce needs to do for you. yeah, i'm just reading, she sings in a melody that bookends the album.

them old ideas are buried here. amen. yeah. there's thought there that perhaps where renaissance was a love letter to her uncle johnny and it was disco tinged, this one, perhaps, is a lot more a love letter to her mum. we know from formation track in 2016, "my daddy alabama, my momma, louisiana." so she's always been soaked. you know, she's from texas. she's been soaked in country roots. she's always been someone that has been surrounded by country music. so it makes sense. and also, i think they're playing to the religion and one was brought up catholic. so it's just it's very nothing beyonce does is accidental. everything is deliberate. and i think we're very lucky to exist at the same time as her and to be able to dive into the art that she creates for us. they own so super funjack remmington talking to me a little earlier. time to get a check on the good friday weather with matt taylor. hello. given what we've had recently,

the weather this easter weekend is actually all right for this stage in march. 0k, plenty of showers around today. some of those in the heavy side. but the weekend, saturday, sunday, fewer showers around, the north looking dry on monday, too, but we will see more persistent rain return across some southern areas. here we go, though, detail through the next few days there. at the moment, showers developing quite widely, england, wales, northern ireland and returning to southern scotland after the departure of this morning's rain. northern half of scotland, though, fewer showers, lightest winds here, and wherever you are, temperatures up a little bit on yesterday, 10 to 1a degrees, around bang on average for where we should be for this stage in the year. now, as we go through this evening and overnight, we will see some showers continue in scotland and into the west. but many of you will be dry, lengthier clear skies. and it's going to be chilly tonight, even though temperatures lifting by day, the nights still quite cool. we could see a touch of frost in one or two spots to start your saturday morning. but for saturday, the area of low pressure which is the focus for showers actually drifting a bit further westwards. so, we will see fewer showers, lighter winds, but have to watch for this weather front. moving northwards out of france and belgium, could bring a cloudy day to east anglia in the far southeast

and even some rain at times in coastal districts. showers heaviest out towards the west through saturday. so the far south—west of england, south—west wales, northern ireland a rumble of thunder can't be ruled out. for much of scotland, england and wales, isolated showers which means more of you will spend the bulk, if not all day, dry and feeling pleasant enough in the sunshine with light winds. chilly night will follow. and of course, as we go through into sunday morning, easter sunday morning, the clocks will have gone forward an hour. so the evenings will be lighter, the mornings a little bit darker to begin with. not a bad start, though. a lot of dry weather around. there will be some showers in the west to begin with and more will develop through the day. heavy and thundery towards the southwest. but, actually, many of you again will spend the bulk, if not all, the day dry and temperatures 1a, 15 degrees in western scotland, through parts of central england, too. now as we go through into monday, this is where low pressure develops again towards the south. exact details may change a little bit, so keep across the forecast, but it does look like across southern counties of england, south wales, potential for some longer spells of rain again. away from that, cloud

and a cool breeze down some north sea coasts. but to the north and west, the best of your easter monday sunshine. whatever you have planned, enjoy. take care. live from london,

this is bbc news. the syrian government blames israel for daily air strikes near the city of aleppo, which killed 42 people. rishi sunak faces criticism after giving a knighthood to wannabe party's giving a knighthood to wannabe pa rty�*s largest giving a knighthood to wannabe party's largest owners. new evidence emerges in the it systems scandal with the post office. and beyonce is back with her first ever country album. hello. welcome to the programme. we start this hour in the middle east. syria has blamed israel for airstrikes on the northern city of aleppo which have killed at least 42 people and wounded many others. they include syrian soldiers and some fighters from the lebanese group hezbollah. in gaza, israel has said it s looking at ways to increase humanitarian aid

being sent to the gaza strip and has denied that it places any limits on the amount getting in.