hello and welcome to this special bbc news programme broadcasting live from milwaukee, wisconsin. president biden has addressed the american people in a prime—time televised speech from the oval office calling for unity and urging the nation to lower the temperature in our politics, he said, following an assassination attempt against donald trump on saturday. president biden called the attack on donald trump deplorable adding that we cannot and must not go down this road in america. let's listen to some of what the president said. yesterday's shooting at donald trump's rally in pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back. take stock of where we are, how we go forward from here. thankfully, former trump is not seriously injured. i spoke to him last night and i am grateful he is doing well, andjill and i keep him and his family in our prayers. we also extend our deepest condolences to the family

of the victim who was killed. corey was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter and a hero sheltering his family from the bullets. we should hold his family and all those injured in our prayers. earlier today i spoke about an ongoing investigation. we do not know the motive of the shooter yet, we do not know his opinions or affiliations. we do not know whether he had help or support or if he communicated with anyone else. law enforcement professionals as i speak are investigating those questions. tonight i want to speak to what we do know. a former president was shot, an american citizen killed while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing. we cannot and must not walk down this road in america we have travelled it before in history. violence has never been the answer, whether it is with

members of congress of both parties being targeted and shot or a violent mob attacking the capitol onjanuary 6 or a brutal attack on the spouse of the former speaker of the house nancy pelosi. misinformation and intimidation on election officials, or the kidnapping plot against a sitting governor. or an attempted assassination on donald trump. there is no place in america for this kind of violence, for any violence ever. period. no exceptions. we cannot allow this violence to be normalised. the political rhetoric in this country has gotten heated. it is time to cool down. former president donald trump has arrived here in milwaukee to join the republican national convention. he said that while he considered delaying the trip he could not allow a shooter to force a change in his schedule. it was just over 2a hours ago at a rally in pennsylvania the

donald trump was grazed by a bullet that came from a government on the rooftop of a nearby shed. as shots rang out, mr trump put his hand to his ear before dropping to the ground. a secret service sniper returned fire killing the attacker who has been identified by the fbi as 20—year—old thomas matthew crooks. on the eve of this republican national convention here in milwaukee the secret service says there will be no change to its security plan. we are confident in the plan we have _ we are confident in the plan we have based on evidence and we continually monitor events according to the information we have _ according to the information we have and — according to the information we have and we are moving forward with our— have and we are moving forward with our plans. in his first interview since the attempt on his life he told the washington examiner newspaper that he has completely rewritten the speech he is planning to deliver here at the rnc. former us president trump said his brush with death prompted him to change strategy. instead of a speech focused on criticism of the record ofjoe biden, donald trump says he now plans to appeal

for national unity. let us update you now on what we know about the gunman. authorities say that emotive has not yet been identified but explosives were found in the town of bethel park. that is where tom bateman sent this report from. this ordinary suburb of pennsylvania woke to news that one of their own tried to kill donald trump. 20—year—old thomas crooks lived here with his parents, now being told their son was dead. the fbi and state police raided in the darkness, trying to work out what motivated him and whether he acted alone. how does it make you feel, knowing that...? he's on the street? yeah. how anybody else would feel. you know, as far as... i trust the neighbourhood,

i trust the people. there's never been anything happening that brought the police down here. he rode my son's school bus. so what happened 7 tell me what you were told. they said that the state police came to the door and told us that we had to evacuate, that there was a state of emergency and they said there's a bomb on the street. the police haven't confirmed a report that explosives were found in the family home, but it's known that crooks followed a website about guns and detonations. the fbi is searching the house. they've been here through the night. a key question for them will be over any motive and whether crooks�*s politics played any role. records show that he was a registered republican, but he also gave $15 to a progressive or liberal campaign group on the dayjoe biden was sworn into office. in his high school yearbook, crooks appears as a smiling teenager. one former classmate is baffled about what switched for this once diligent student.

he was always getting good grades on tests, everything like that. he was very passionate about history. but it was nothing out of the ordinary. he was a nice kid and i had never had an experience with him where i was, like, he isn't nice. he was always nice and i was always friendly to him. america's suburbs were always set to decide this coming election. now, fear and angry division is deepened, not because of the ballot box, but because of the barrel ofa gun. tom bateman, bbc news, bethel park, pennsylvania. let's go now to butler in pennsylvania where the attempted assassination on the life of donald trump to place. joining me now is our correspondent. jenny, what is the mood like there a day or so after the attempted assassination? the day has come

to an end now and night has fallen and there is a sense that this town has witnessed a dark moment in its history. we are 30 minutes away —— half a mile away from where the assassination attempt happened and people have woken up today to a live crime scene in their community. a police car behind me marks the boundary of accord and that has been up since the attack happened more than 2a hours ago. they woke up to a town in a situation that they have not come across before. dozens of the world's media, from all over the world, brazil, denmark, they have come here to report on this shocking story. and that is what a lot of people who have been telling me that they feel about what is happening, shock and disbelief

and sadness stop there is a tribute behind me set up today with some posters expressing shock and surprise that this has happened here but also paying tribute to the man who died here. we understand he was 50 years old and worked for the fire service and at the moment the shots rang out he shielded his family from the shots. two other people were injured and they are sentenced —— said to be and is able condition in hospital. so questions are still around for people here about what happened and how this could happen. some want to know about how the situation unfolded, there are questions about resourcing in terms of security and how well law enforcement and secret services responded. we have had a little more detail from the

responded. we have had a little more detailfrom the fbi responded. we have had a little more detail from the fbi about the loan attacker and they think he was acting alone that they are looking at the possibility that there may have been perhaps some other people involved. they have got, they have been looking at his home and found bomb material, they found a phone in that phone is being looked at in their laboratory in virginia. so we wait to find out what the actual motivation is and why this attack happened.- actual motivation is and why this attack happened. thank you for bringing _ this attack happened. thank you for bringing us — this attack happened. thank you for bringing us up-to-date - this attack happened. thank you for bringing us up-to-date on i for bringing us up—to—date on that. let's talk about some of the wider issues now. joe, thank you for speaking to us again on bbc news. you are an expert in pennsylvania politics and we have heard now from former president trump and

president biden with calls for calm and cool heads across the country but talk to us about the politics in pennsylvania. it is a battleground state. how polarised is it? it it is a battleground state. how polarised is it?— polarised is it? it is incredibly - polarised is it? it is incredibly polarised polarised is it? it is - incredibly polarised just like much of the nation. unfortunately for donald trump and joe biden i do not know that this will do much to alter where people are in terms of their support in the election. we are a few months out and the numbers have been studied for months, little has changed in pennsylvania and i am not sure that pennsylvanians will be moved by this.— that pennsylvanians will be movedb this. �* ., , moved by this. and on the calls for calm and — moved by this. and on the calls for calm and cool _ moved by this. and on the calls for calm and cool heads, - moved by this. and on the calls for calm and cool heads, how. for calm and cool heads, how achievable is that? mi; for calm and cool heads, how achievable is that?— for calm and cool heads, how achievable is that? my hope is that it is very _ achievable is that? my hope is that it is very achievable. - achievable is that? my hope is that it is very achievable. it i that it is very achievable. it is ultimately the goal but anyone who has thought of this

as a surprise has almost had their head in the sand for a number of years. this is something that the united states has been inching towards slowly over the past decade or more and if this turns out to be political violence as it may well shape up to be, this is not something that is surprising to most people. so looking forward i think the message thatjob biden gave his critical and the message that the republicans are going to give it the rnc is absolutely critical for how people will move forward after this. given the level of— move forward after this. given the level of emotion _ move forward after this. given the level of emotion and - move forward after this. given the level of emotion and of. the level of emotion and of passion and of anger and upset the president and the former president cannon away only say so much. it is for voters and people to take that on board.

it very much is and i am a firm believer in the power of democracy and the ability of people to do good things for themselves. at the end of the day, yes we look to our leaders for cues on how to act on their leadership will be essential in this. but at the end of the day when it comes down to is the average person sitting down and thinking this through and then putting things into perspective, understanding that they are citizens who have a really important responsibility in the first responsibility of citizenship is to be informed and educated and reasonable. again, ithink and educated and reasonable. again, i think it all feeds into the conversation and i think pennsylvania is doing that right now.— think pennsylvania is doing that right now. speaking about olitical that right now. speaking about political violence _ that right now. speaking about political violence and - that right now. speaking about political violence and having i political violence and having conversations, it was only a day or so ago that the national conversation was onjoe biden's

age and his ability to contest the election and see out a second term. others discussion points moved on all that resume at some point? i points moved on all that resume at some point?— at some point? i do not think that will go — at some point? i do not think that will go away. _ at some point? i do not think that will go away. as - at some point? i do not think that will go away. as a i at some point? i do not think| that will go away. as a matter of fact i think that is a very important conversation to have and in places like erie county, and in places like erie county, a place that has been critical in the last few elections, voters are having a conversation in spite of what is going on. as a matter of fact ijust spoke is going on. as a matter of fact i just spoke with a is going on. as a matter of fact ijust spoke with a voter today who did not talk to me at all about the events of yesterday. instead they wanted to know aboutjoe biden and his capacity to govern. so i think the conversation is still very much on the table, going all the way through.— much on the table, going all the way through. does it put the way through. does it put the issue — the way through. does it put the issue of _ the way through. does it put the issue of gun _ the way through. does it put the issue of gun control- the way through. does it put the issue of gun control and| the issue of gun control and gun rights on the table,

particularly in the state like pennsylvania? i particularly in the state like pennsylvania?— particularly in the state like pennsylvania? i think it very much does. _ pennsylvania? i think it very much does. how— pennsylvania? i think it very much does. how voters i pennsylvania? i think it very| much does. how voters react pennsylvania? i think it very i much does. how voters react to this in the coming months i think is going to largely depend on which narrative they adopt. we had the first there being ajew adopt. we had the first there being a jew collated byjoe biden tonight and we will hear another narrative that will help put yesterday's events into a larger context of the republican national convention. if the narrative that voters ultimately are exposed to and ultimately are exposed to and ultimately accept as being the best way of understanding yesterday's event includes discussion of gun control then i think that is what pennsylvanians may focus on. pennsylvanians may focus on. pennsylvania is a state where gun rights are important. we have a lot of hunters, a lot of people who shoot recreationally. but at the end of the day pennsylvanians are

incredibly empathetic and reasonable people and i do not think that is a debate they will shy away from.- think that is a debate they will shy away from. lots more to discuss _ will shy away from. lots more to discuss on _ will shy away from. lots more to discuss on this _ will shy away from. lots more to discuss on this but - will shy away from. lots more to discuss on this but we i will shy away from. lots more to discuss on this but we willl to discuss on this but we will have to leave it there for the moment. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. earlier i spoke with henry barber of former mississippi congressmen and rnc memberfor his thoughts mississippi congressmen and rnc member for his thoughts on the events of the last few days. on the point the donald trump said today how he has rewritten the speech he will deliver here on thursday night, what do you expect to hearfrom him? i think we will hear an emotional speech. when you think about how close he came to dying, it is a serious thing, of course. and i think we will hear his heart and from his heart we will hear about how the country does need to come together and i think that sort of tone, him stepping up to the plate and reaching out to americans and being more inclusive than sometimes donald trump may be,

i think it is a very good thing for him politically. i think it is going to appeal. 82% of americans wanting new president and i think by changing his tone, it will be a political benefit to that, even if it is not the reason why he is doing it. he said in the interview that he thinks what happened to him and how he is going to frame it in his speech here will change the course of the campaign. do you agree with that? i think it can. and i think president biden said the right things, that we cannot let violence win in our country. sometimes from terrible trials good things can happen. and so i think that president biden and president trump are coming maybe to some agreement over such a heinous act, that this is not the sort of thing that can happen in our country and that we need to come together as americans.

i am encouraged by that. the discourse in this country is so polarised it is quite nasty at times and we have seen that in the campaign ads. president trump and president biden making these remarks calling for unity. how will that be received by people? many people speaking here today are very, very upset about what happened. no question about it. there is anger and anger from the left and anger from the right, there are people on the left who probably have not said the right things in response to this as well as people from the right. but i will say that leadership matters. and i think that is where donald trump setting the tone that we can overcome this if we will come together, much like americans did after 9/11. i think that can really change this race and we will see into or three weeks and they hold to that? i will say it is encouraging to me and i think americans will find it encouraging to see

donald trump leading in that way and president biden following suit. do you think donald trump and the other speeches that we will hear here will lessen their focus onjoe biden and his agent capacities and so on and focus more on donald trump himself and the republican policies? perhaps. i think we will still hear some contrast. the campaign business contrast is really important in your message so i think donald trump being strong, joe biden being weak, donald trump �*s first administration being successful, joe biden being a failure particularly when you think about the inflation and open border, it is hard not to talk about those things because people do care about results. but i think you can talk about issues in a serious way. there is a respectful that can still appeal to voters

and grow our numbers so i think it can be a positive development and it is a tricky balance but it can be done and i hope it is done. the other point we are watching out for this week is through the vice presidential pick is going to be. do you have any thoughts on that? if i had to guess i would say governor doug burghum from north dakota. i think he comes in as a steady hand, the least disruptive, least focused on trying to put a campaign together for 2028 as soon as he is announced. well if we are able to succeed in november. given that there has been this attempt on the life of donald trump do you think voters will pay more attention to who the vice president is? i think both with the age ofjoe biden and with a bullet

coming within millimetres of taking donald trump's life, absolutely. this vice presidential pick could be the most important vice presidential pick and may the last 50 years. earlier i spoke with a hoover institution fellow who worked on presidential campaigns for mid romney and marco rubio. you are making you're making your way now to the convention as well. what is the reaction amongst rank—and—file republicans to what happened to former president trump yesterday? i think the reaction of republicans is one of shock and sadness, of a feeling that we have now seen yet another norm broken in our recent politics. and so i think that we also have a great resolve among many republicans who are already quite supportive of donald trump but it will be an interesting shift among those republicans who may have been more sceptical about donald trump, people

who supported nikki haley for example during the primary process in 202a. i hearfrom more and more of these republicans that the assassination attempt on the former president and his reaction to it are things that have driven them to support the former president. i think you will see a level of unity this week that we always expected to see at some level but i think it has been taken to a new degree because of the horrific events of yesterday. the england men's football team has again missed out on gloria the euros after spain won 24 the euros after spain won 2-1 on the 2024 _ the euros after spain won 2—1 on the 2024 final in the german capital of berlin. jubilation there from spanish fans in the english captain said the result for his team was disappointing. england fell at the final

hurdle for the second straight european championships. the american actress shannen doherty has died. she was 53 and diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. last year she had a brain tumour removed. and revealed that the disease had spread to her bones. our entertainment correspondent looks back on her life. beverly hills 90210 for a whole generation represented the height of �*90s glamour. and at its heart, the charismatic occasional bad girl brenda. shannen doherty was a child star with an early appearance on little house on the prairie. you like it here don't you? yes. i was scared at first but i am glad we settled here. i want you to be happy. i would be happy anywhere with you, father.

a string of minor parts followed before she landed a role opposite winona ryder in cult high school film heathers. then came her starring role as brenda in beverly hills 90210. teenagers could relate to storylines like her tempestuous relationship with dylan, played by luke perry, an actor who also died tragically young. but it also dealt with more serious issues. so we were all at kelly's studying for the sats and she was reading a magazine that had a thing in it about, you know, where you check your breasts for lumps. one early storyline drew praise for the way it drew attention to breast disease.

something that was the impact on the actresses health years later. the article said... so i did the test and i thought i felt something. her other big tv series also captivated a younger audience, playing one of three sisters who were also witches. in charmed she was the demon battling, gravity defying, high kicking super powerful prue. we better get ready for work. as with all her biggest roles it was watched and adored by millions because, like heraudience, her characters always explored those magical things: feelings, friendship and family.

shannen doherty there who has died at the age of 53. that is set for the moment from the republican national convention here in milwaukee in wisconsin. you can keep up with an —— up—to—date with events here and throughout the world on our website. thank you for watching and stay with us here on bbc news. hello. we are very nearly halfway throuthuly, and the month so far has been decidedly cool — and for some of us, very wet indeed. there is some heavy rain in the forecast for the week ahead, but it is likely to turn drier and warmer, at least for a time. in the short term, though, it is this area of low pressure that is swirling its way in from the southwest, and this frontal system, which is going to generate some very heavy rain across the south of the uk during monday. further north, many places getting off to a fine start with some sunshine, but let's zoom in — some heavy thundery downpours for the channel islands, turning very wet across southern england, southwest england and also wales likely to see

some particularly heavy rain through the day, which could give rise to some localised flooding and some transport disruption. that cloud spilling its way northwards, all the while across the midlands, north wales, eventually into northern england. northern ireland not doing too badly — some sunny spells but increasing amounts of cloud. sunny spells and just one or two showers across scotland, although it could stay quite grey and quite murky up towards the far north — 14 degrees there for lerwick. but come further south, a fairly warm feel, particularly for these north sea coast where it has been so cool over recent days. temperatures getting up into the low 20s. now, that wet weather continuing to spill its way northwards, across parts of england and wales, as we go through monday night into the first part of tuesday morning, something a little bit drier and clearer out towards the west. and that rain will linger for parts of northern england down into the midlands, east anglia as we go through the day on tuesday. further west, though, we will see some spells of sunshine, albeit with some scattered heavy showers. and temperatures on tuesday, well, it's not going to feel too bad if you get yourself into some sunshine. typically high teens, low 20s celsius, but perhaps a little bit cooler than that

where the rain lingers for any length of time. now, as we move into the middle part of the week, this area of high pressure will tend to build. and that means actually on wednesday, a lot of fine weather around. some spells of sunshine, just one or two showers here and there. the frontal system is likely to bring rain into northern ireland later in the day, but ahead of that it is going to be pretty warm. in fact, temperatures down towards the southeast corner could well get to 24 or 25 degrees. now, that drier and warmer weather will hold on for some of us as we head through the end of the week. but generally the further north and west you are across the uk turning unsettled again, turning cooler as well.

voice—over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. increasingly, russia's relentless assault on ukraine seems to hinge on the question of staying power. amid attritional fighting, horrendous bloodshed and diplomatic stalemate, whose will is stronger? putin's russia, with its alliance of autocracies, or zelensky�*s ukraine, backed by nato and the west? well, my guest is russian mp and putin loyalist maria butina. 2.5 years post—invasion,

is time really on russia's side? maria butina in moscow, welcome to hardtalk. thank you so much for inviting me. well, it's a pleasure... happy to see you again. ..to have you back on the programme. you may remember, we last spoke about a month after mr putin's all—out invasion of ukraine. and back then, you said to me you were confident it was all going to plan, even though you admitted you didn't know what the plan was. well, some 2.5 years on, are you now ready to acknowledge that it has not gone to plan?