a matchup between sitting president biden for president from one thing is for sure, with republican voters they feel that nothing has changed in this four years. polling consistently of americans puts the issue of americans among their top two concerns. beaten usually only by the economy into the dramatically increased cost of living. on the panel tonight — brian taylor, political commentator at the herald. and jennifer carroll, the former lieutenant governor of florida. first, the latest headlines. in breaking news — officials in bangladesh say a massive fire at a commercial building in the capital dhaka has killed at least forty people. reports said the blaze started at a restaurant and spread quickly through the building, trapping dozens of people. rescue officials said the fire had now been brought under control. it's not immediately clear

what triggered the blaze. the hamas—run health ministry in gaza says more than 100 people have been killed in a massacre at an aid distribution point. more than 750 others are reported to have been injured. hamas has blamed israeli troops for opening fire. israeli sources have confirmed shots were fired, having viewed the crowds near the aid lorries as a threat. here, an inquiry has concluded that three different police forces "could and should" have stopped sarah everard's murderer wayne couzens from ever becoming a serving officer. the inquiry chair says without significant reforms someone similar to couzens could be allowed to operate in the police "in plain sight". president vladimir putin has said russia's forces are advancing "confidently" in ukraine, two years after he ordered the full—scale invasion. in his annual state of the nation address in moscow, he portrayed the conflict as a struggle

for russia's sovereignty and security. mr putin warned western governments against considering any deployment of troops to ukraine. we begin in texas where both presidentjoe biden and former president donald trump are visiting the us—mexico border. the pair are locked in a high—stakes political duel on an issue which could ultimately decide this year's presidential election. joe biden is visiting a border city called brownsville. it's recently seen a drop in the number of people illegally crossing into the us. donald trump meanwhile is in eagle pass, the texas border town where republican governor greg abbott has defied the biden white house by using state national guard soldiers to detain undocumented migrants and erect border barricades. mr trump spoke there

a short time ago. nice weather, beautiful day, but a very dangerous border. we are going to take care of it, thank you. let's take a look at how many migrants are crossing the us mexico border compared to previous years. the number began to rise in 2018 when donald trump was president, largely driven by people from central america fleeing instability. the most drastic reduction took place in early 2020 due to pandemic restrictions. migrant numbers have been steadily rising throughout joe biden�*s presidency, reaching an all—time high in december. 0ur correspondent tom bateman is in eagle pass. one bateman is in eagle pass. former president, one p both one former president, one president, both in texas on the same day. on an issue that has become, looks like it's can be incredibly important

come the election. this it's can be incredibly important come the election.— it's can be incredibly important come the election. this is a big race by both — come the election. this is a big race by both men _ come the election. this is a big race by both men to _ come the election. this is a big race by both men to get - come the election. this is a big race by both men to get their l race by both men to get their messages out. it becomes increasingly clear that the issue of immigration is going to play a central role in the upcoming election. opinion polls consistently suggest that americans put immigration along with the economy as being the most dominant concerns they have in the run—up to this vote. here we're in eagle pass on the border in mexico. you can see behind me the fence, national guard troops, donald trump is currently inside the park. he's close to the rio grande down by the river. he's been getting a briefing from the texas national guard. the point about this is, the national guard troops are controlled by the state of texas by its republican governor. a few weeks ago he took over at this park or the troops did under his control. they have effectively blocked the routine access of the

federal border control. the biden administrations border patrol who were patrolling along this river and had a processing centre in the park, what's happened is the republican governor of texas has kicked them out. they can still work along parts of the river but there is a standoff between mr abbott the republican governor supported by donald trump and the federal government controlled by mr biden. you have a crisis that is developed here. it is a sign of how this entire issue has become a political football now about control of the border between mr trump and mr biden in the run—up to that election. mr biden for part in brownsville, south along the border is going to say that he needs congress to give him power over the border to introduce stricter measures, speed up the asylum system that he says mr trump's republican allies apparently blocking him from doing so for the politics at play in a key election issue. figs

doing so for the politics at play in a key election issue.— a key election issue. as we're listening and _ a key election issue. as we're listening and seeing - a key election issue. as we're listening and seeing you - a key election issue. as we're listening and seeing you we l a key election issue. as we're i listening and seeing you we also see pictures of donald trump with governor abbott. the language being used around the immigration issue, it's incredibly strong. it's incredibly inflammatory. it plays to donald trumps strengths. mr trump has alwa s donald trumps strengths. mr trump has always made _ donald trumps strengths. mr trump has always made immigration - donald trumps strengths. mr trump has always made immigration a - has always made immigration a signature issue. remember in when he first became president and the run—up to that his pledge to build the wall became a model for his campaign for that we've seen him push through that in terms of their rhetoric this time around. he is determined to make it it issue. i think it goes to the point that i was making before that there is a bipartisan bill being passed by the senate. it's now gone to the house of representatives. mr biden says it

would help to solve this issue. he says mr trump is now blocking. the fact that it services interests, it serves mr trump's interest to keep the crisis going at the border. things in reality are far more complex than that. in the end it isn'tjust complex than that. in the end it isn't just about deterrence measures. we've seen a lot of the last few days, razor wire laid along the river by governor abbott. blue is to prevent people from swimming over. all of that has largely displaced the crossings along this extremely large border. what is driving this movement of people, the biggest displacement of people globally since the second world war is global instability. climate change and what strong people to the us is after the pandemic there was a hugejobs gap in this us is after the pandemic there was a huge jobs gap in this country with an ageing population. that creates a pull factorfor an ageing population. that creates a pull factor for people who want to come here in the belief still be able to get work. the problem is not

the processing system of peoples asylum claims assists broken with those huge numbers you mention. the fact is because the politics around all of this at the moment is not fixed. ., ., ., . ~ , ., fixed. tom, for the moment thank you for that from — fixed. tom, for the moment thank you for that from eagle _ fixed. tom, for the moment thank you for that from eagle pass. _ fixed. tom, for the moment thank you for that from eagle pass. we - fixed. tom, for the moment thank you for that from eagle pass. we will- for that from eagle pass. we will keep looking at those pictures of donald trump and governor abbott. let's bring in the panel: brian taylor, political commentator at the herald. jennifer carroll, former lieutenant governor of florida. brian, we've heard tom talking about the geopolitical factors that have made immigration such a huge issue in the us. as a country it is not alone in that, it's an issue that many other countries are facing. it's very much the case. it's in a motive in emotional issue but you leave for the incumbent president joe biden. he has to be nuanced. he talks about legislative obstacles

and constraining the problem as it is seen. he has to do that in a nuanced fashion he has to sound strong given the increase in the numbers crossing the borders. but do so without sounding repressive, which might be counter to his base. donald trump doesn't need a nuance at all. it will be dog whistle stuff and back to the days when he was holding rallies and declaring we will build a wall in the crowd virtually chats along with them and we will make mexico pay for it. we have a different approach to a very common problem for the an issue i don't think is purely for republican voters. i'm sure democrat voters and politicians who are extremely concerned about this as well and concerned about this as well and concerned about this as well and concerned aboutjoe bidens record. he frankly needs to do better or to be perceived to do better when he's up be perceived to do better when he's up against the attacks that are coming from his rival. jennifer, a

former lieutenant _ coming from his rival. jennifer, a former lieutenant governor - coming from his rival. jennifer, a former lieutenant governor of. former lieutenant governor of florida, brian saying that democrats saying biden needs to do better. you look at the grass in the numbers of people coming into the country sense his presidency. —— look at the grass. the figures are stark. yes and it's become _ grass. the figures are stark. yes and it's become the number one issue for voters _ and it's become the number one issue for voters as _ and it's become the number one issue for voters as they are looking to select_ for voters as they are looking to select who _ for voters as they are looking to select who they want to be president in this— select who they want to be president in this upcoming election. you talked — in this upcoming election. you talked about the numbers being stark _ talked about the numbers being stark. you have over 7 million immigrants who have come to the southern — immigrants who have come to the southern border for the patches those _ southern border for the patches those that we know of, not but got a ways _ those that we know of, not but got a ways that _ those that we know of, not but got a ways. that equates to more than the population— ways. that equates to more than the population and 34 of our states in the united — population and 34 of our states in the united states. citizens in these country. _ the united states. citizens in these country, the particular issue we're seeing _ country, the particular issue we're seeing with— country, the particular issue we're seeing with regards to immigrants having _ seeing with regards to immigrants having either committing various crimes— having either committing various crimes and in george, in recent days that have _ crimes and in george, in recent days that have heightened awareness of an illegal—

that have heightened awareness of an illegal immigrant murdering a georgia — illegal immigrant murdering a georgia student and a rate of a 14—year—old and a two—year—old being killed _ 14—year—old and a two—year—old being killed by— 14—year—old and a two—year—old being killed by immigrants that have come across— killed by immigrants that have come across the _ killed by immigrants that have come across the border. this is the thought— across the border. this is the thought that is now in the voters minds _ thought that is now in the voters minds. and president biden needs to address— minds. and president biden needs to address that and call the american public— address that and call the american public that he has this issue at hand _ public that he has this issue at hand and — public that he has this issue at hand and he will be taking care of the security at the border. jennifer. _ the security at the border. jennifer, brian we will leave it for the moment. i'm sure will come back to this issue throughout the program. we're waiting to listen to words from both former president trump and presidentjoe biden. those pictures you are looking at fair, thatis pictures you are looking at fair, that is brownsville where we're awaiting the president speaking on this issue. an area that he has travelled to, where illegal crosses two crossings have dropped sharply in the past few years we will return to texas as texas as soon as we start hearing for either of the two gentlemen that are there this

evening. forthe gentlemen that are there this evening. for the moment let's go back to the middle east. the un security council will soon hold an emergency meeting after more than a hundred people are reported to have been killed as a convoy of food aid was being delivered to gaza. these are pictures were filmed during the aftermath of the incident. palestinian government officials said israeli forces opened fire on the crowds that had gathered. israel denied that, saying some shots were fired at civilians who they feared posed a threat, but that many died in a stampede when thousands of people surrounded the aid lorries. they said some of those killed were run over by the vehicles. it's happened as the hamas—run health authorities in the gaza strip say more than 30,000 palestinians have been killed

since octobrer. let's bring in maynee nicolai who has just returned from gaza for medecins sans frontieres. thank you forjoining x on the context. could you take us through where you were in gaza, what you were seeing come of the level of need where you were? it were seeing come of the level of need where you were? it is important to hiuuhliht need where you were? it is important to highlight that _ need where you were? it is important to highlight that we _ need where you were? it is important to highlight that we don't _ need where you were? it is important to highlight that we don't have - need where you were? it is important to highlight that we don't have a - to highlight that we don't have a vision of the totality of the gaza strip. the north has been inaccessible so i have no view directly on what's happening there. but what we hear is horrifying. where we're able to work is in the southern part. it is rafah and north of con units which is called the middle area, it's where we support to hospitals ?, and raffle we have a clinic. we're able to move around in

those areas. —— rafah. since i was there there has been a raid on the second hospital in gaza. the hospital has been closed, patients remain inside. only 15 staff, 75 staff arrested. no food, fuel there were bodies in the hospital that could not be taken out. it gives you in example of the disaster that is going on. especially the attack on healthcare. just going on. especially the attack on healthcare. , , ., , . healthcare. just from the experience of ourself healthcare. just from the experience of yourself and _ healthcare. just from the experience of yourself and the _ healthcare. just from the experience of yourself and the workers - healthcare. just from the experience of yourself and the workers there - of yourself and the workers there what are the most critical needs in terms of the gazan population at the moment? this terms of the gazan population at the moment? �* , ., , terms of the gazan population at the moment? a ., , . ., terms of the gazan population at the moment? a ., _ ., , moment? as doctors without borders we focus on — moment? as doctors without borders we focus on health. _ moment? as doctors without borders we focus on health. what _ moment? as doctors without borders we focus on health. what we - moment? as doctors without borders we focus on health. what we see - moment? as doctors without borders we focus on health. what we see is i we focus on health. what we see is most hospitals are closed or inaccessible. so luckily there are a few field hospitals set up that

complement the existing failing system. the health care system has been attacked so hardly any hospital is still working. to give you an example on dialysis. at the hospitals, they are the only dialysis services remaining in the gaza strip. with 1, 20 machines the other a bit lower. patients can say only for two hours on machines. if they are lucky twice per week, which is just they are lucky twice per week, which isjust enough to they are lucky twice per week, which is just enough to survive. cancer patients have no more treatment. maternity centres are only very far from each other. trauma patients, very complicated. hygiene in hospital completely overloaded. honestly, it is beyond what i've

ever seen before. ambulance drivers being arrested. hospital staff being arrested. hospitals being closed, being hit. honestly, what is next? we don't know.— we don't know. good to hear your reflections. _ we don't know. good to hear your reflections, just _ we don't know. good to hear your reflections, just returned - we don't know. good to hear your reflections, just returned from - reflections, just returned from gaza. emergency coordinator, thank you for your time. let's go back to the states. former president trump is in texas along with president biden. let's take a listen. , ., . , , listen. is how it happened the other day — listen. is how it happened the other day in _ listen. is how it happened the other day in georgia. _ listen. is how it happened the other day in georgia. the - listen. is how it happened the j other day in georgia. the parents are devastated. they are incredible people. this is a joe are devastated. they are incredible people. this is ajoe biden invasion. this is a biden invasion, over the past few years i called kirk and joe's because he's cricket in a terrible president the worst president are countries ever had.

and probably the most incompetent president we've ever had. it's allowing thousands and thousands of people to come in from china, iran, yemen, the congo, syria at a lot of other nations that are not friendly to us. he is transported the entire columns of fighting age men. they're all at a certain age and you look and say, they look like to me. something is going on. now the united states is being overrun by the biden migrant crime. it's a new form of vicious violation to our country. its migrant crime. we call it biden migrant crime but that's a little bit long so we will leave it. every time you hear the word migrant crime you know that comes from. allowing thousands and thousands and actually millions of people to come. could be 15 million, could be 18 million by time he gets out of office. hopefully the biggest risk

we have is nine months. that's a long time. a lot of bad things can happen. i always say and speeches in rallies, if you take the ten worst presidents of the history of our country and added them all up, all of the problems, all of the lousy jobs they've done you can add a ball out it's not as bad as this one man has done for our country and what is under our country is he's destroying our country. we were just talking before. the general was saying i can't believe... he can't believe what's happening. he can't believe it. so sad. last year half of all were criminal arrested, 33,000 assault, 3000 robberies, 6900 burglaries, 7500 weapons crimes. this is all migrant crime. 4300 six crimes, 1600 kidnappings in 1700 homicides and murders. they said the people that are coming into our country. they're coming from jails and the coming from prisons in the

coming from mental institutions. in the coming from insane asylums. and they are terrorists that are being led into our country. it's horrible, it's horrible. i note many of the leaders of these other countries that are doing it and it's notjust south america it's all over the world. the congo, a very big population coming in from jails from the congo. you look at the jails, take a look at the jails throughout the region. more portly throughout the region. more portly throughout the world with a bear emptying me now because they're dumping them into the united states with up these try to make like isn't it wonderful. they don't have a clue. i think you're looking for votes, looking... nobody�*s been able to tell me how anybody... you're always in business you want to understand the other side. you want to figure it out so you can do something that's good or bad and depending what you're looking for. but nobody can explain to me because everybody i speak to us is how horrible it is. nobody explains to me how allowing millions

of people from places unknown, countries are known who don't speak languages. we have languages coming into our country we have nobody that even speaks of languages. they are truly foreign languages. nobody speaks them. they are pouring into our country and they are bringing with them tremendous problems. including medical problems, as you know. we had title to and we had different things to solve that problem but they've terminated all of that. even the judge couldn't believe it. thejudge said no, you can't do that it would be horrible to do that. and he let it go. but he said in six months it expires without it expired and that's it. i just think you're doing an incrediblejob was at just think you're doing an incredible job was at one week ago a beautiful 22—year—old nursing student from georgia was barbaric lee attacked, almost unrecognisable. that is former president donald trump in texas talking about

immigration and the fact that he believes that presidentjoe biden is responsible for the us being overrun. we will discuss all this after a little break. around the world and across the uk this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. the father of a teenage boy who murdered brianna ghey has been his son eddie ratcliffe was convicted alongside scarlettjenkinson of murdering 16—year—old brianna in a park in culcheth, cheshire last year. administrators for the cosmetics and skincare chain of stores the body shop say 116 outlets will stay open in the uk. but they are closing 75 shops over the next six weeks and will cut about 500 jobs as part of a restructuring programme. the uk arm of the global beauty chain was put into administration this month.

a bbc investigation has found that millions of chickens sold in uk supermarket show clear signs of skin burns caused by being left in their own ways. poor conditions on farms mean a third have so—called hock burn. you're live with bbc news. we go back to texas. you heard earlier from we go back to texas. you heard earlierfrom donald trump. he is still talking about 300 miles away we're waiting for presidentjoe biden to start. the issue of the moment today, certainly for both of these men is immigration. the number of undocumented migrants coming into the united states and what can be done about it. president biden has chosen to go to brownsville in texas. it's a border city. it's an

area where illegal crossings have dropped sharply in the last couple of years with border arrests down something like 19% from the peak in we're expecting words from president biden. you can see him mopping his brow we don't know whether that means he's getting ready to talk. we will keep an eye on those pictures. let's bring in the panel. jennifer, i hope you will listening to former president donald trumps words. any thoughts on what he was talking about? his new buzz phrase seems to be biden migrant crime. he about? his new buzz phrase seems to be biden migrant crime.— be biden migrant crime. he wants to end republicans _ be biden migrant crime. he wants to end republicans want _ be biden migrant crime. he wants to end republicans want to _ be biden migrant crime. he wants to end republicans want to type - be biden migrant crime. he wants to end republicans want to type the - end republicans want to type the criminal activities which stated that as swimming gang activity increase in country as well as other incidents occurred. not only with migrants but that's going to be the

height and conversation because of the open border. and what the conversation is. therefore in this election cycle with 250 days to go they want to wrap this around president biden snack because he has allowed this open border policy. and particularly under donald trump with title 42 people were able to remain in mexico until they are asylum case could be heard. and in this instance people are coming across the border regardless of their nationality and/or their particular situation. they are getting either released in country and or bust around to century cities. and with the criminal activity that is occurring and people are seeing 61% in the polls that they want a border wall now because they are afraid of the migrant population coming into their particular counties. and having any

instances like this. republicans are going to drill on this narrative until biden stepped up and says, i'm gonna close the border or i'm going to create additional resources to guard against anyone being able to come into the country without properly being vetted. jennifer, thank ou properly being vetted. jennifer, thank you for— properly being vetted. jennifer, thank you for that. _ properly being vetted. jennifer, thank you for that. we - properly being vetted. jennifer, thank you for that. we will - properly being vetted. jennifer, thank you for that. we will hear from brian taylor who is also on the panel this evening just after the break. we're also helping to hear from presidentjoe biden. looking at those pictures, looking like he might be getting ready to speak. will bring you that here on the context. to state with us. hello there. well, the weather has been particularly grey and wet today across eastern areas of england. you might recognise this weather watcher picture, which shows the uk's tallest building, the shard, in london — or at least the bottom half of it, the top half sticking out into the cloud and the rain. now, the rain has been caused by this slow—moving weather front

that really dragged its heels. but further northwest, we did manage something a bit brighter — although we did have some strong winds bringing some large waves to lerwick harbour, in shetland. overnight tonight, those winds will fall light in scotland and northern england. developing in the countryside. at the same time, a band of rain will start to encroach in wales and southwest england — the rain itself could be heavy enough to cause some localised surface—water flooding, given how wet the weather has been over recent weeks. for friday the low pressure is here to stay, and this occlusion brings with it the risk of some hill snow. now we are talking about the risk just across the high ground — 200 metres or above — with the main threat across north wales, the peaks, the pennines, and the high ground in northern ireland. the amount of snow we get will vary a lot from place to place — some places not getting very much,

others could see five centimetres or more, bringing some localised disruption to high—level routes. but at lower elevations — which of course, is where the vast majority of us live — we're looking atjust cold outbreaks of rain. temperatures really struggling underneath that band of rain, probably 2—3 celsius for large parts of the day. otherwise we should get up to around 8—9. but there'll be plenty of showers around for wales, the midlands, east anglia, and southern counties of england, as well. now, heading into the weekend's by the prospects, well, we continue to have the same area of low pressure withers, albeit it's weakening and drifting northwards through the course of the weekend. now, on saturday, it's a day of sunshine and showers. sunny spells may well be quite limited, but showers will be widespread — some of them will have hail and thunder mixed in, and it'll still be cold enough for a bit of snow over the tops of the scottish mountains so i'm not really expecting any weather impacts from that. it will continue to be quite cold — temperatures around 6—9 celsius, so those temperatures below average. by sunday, most of the showers will be across the northern half of the uk. in the south, something a bit drierfor wales, the midlands, east anglia, and southern england — but even here, you could see an odd passing shower. temperatures continue to run a bit

below average for the time of year — highs between 8—10 celsius. that's your latest weather, bye for now.

welcome back. you are watching the context on bbc news. if you have been watching for the last hour or so which i hope you have you know will it has been a busy evening and

we've been focused on two areas of texas. where presidentjoe biden is currently, we are waiting for him to speak. he is meeting with border forces staff there. this is brownsville. this is a city in texas where illegal crossings have dropped sharply in the last few years. we wanted to hear his words and also former president donald trump, he is also, i want to say on the campaign trail. of course he is not yet. and especially the governor of the state of texas. but we were just hearing from donald trump who has been giving his thoughts on illegal immigration, the number of undocumented migrants coming into the us and putting the blame very, very firmly at president joe biden and his policies. we will keep an eye on those pictures. if we seek president biden heading towards the programme we will cut straight

there. but i would like to remind you we