' blank check not want to send another blank check to zelensky _ not want to send another blank check to zelensky to — not want to send another blank check to zelensky to do _ not want to send another blank check to zelensky to do whatever _ not want to send another blank check to zelensky to do whatever he - not want to send another blank checkl to zelensky to do whatever he wants. congress want — to zelensky to do whatever he wants. congress want to _ to zelensky to do whatever he wants. congress want to see _ to zelensky to do whatever he wants. congress want to see an _ to zelensky to do whatever he wants. congress want to see an end - to zelensky to do whatever he wants. congress want to see an end to - to zelensky to do whatever he wants. congress want to see an end to the l congress want to see an end to the game _ congress want to see an end to the game plan — congress want to see an end to the game plan to— congress want to see an end to the game plan to this _ congress want to see an end to the game plan to this war— congress want to see an end to the game plan to this war entirely - game plan to this war entirely before — game plan to this war entirely before this _ game plan to this war entirely before this and _ game plan to this war entirely before this and additional - game plan to this war entirely - before this and additional funding. president — before this and additional funding. president trump _ before this and additional funding. president trump can _ before this and additional funding. president trump can get _ before this and additional funding. president trump can get his - before this and additional funding. president trump can get his allies| president trump can get his allies in congress — president trump can get his allies in congress and _ president trump can get his allies in congress and the _ president trump can get his allies in congress and the senate - president trump can get his allies in congress and the senate to - president trump can get his allies . in congress and the senate to make sure there _ in congress and the senate to make sure there is — in congress and the senate to make sure there is funds _ in congress and the senate to make sure there is funds going _ in congress and the senate to make sure there is funds going to- in congress and the senate to make sure there is funds going to ukraine i sure there is funds going to ukraine but we _ sure there is funds going to ukraine but we need — sure there is funds going to ukraine but we need to— sure there is funds going to ukraine but we need to have _ sure there is funds going to ukraine but we need to have an _ sure there is funds going to ukraine but we need to have an endgame, i sure there is funds going to ukraine i but we need to have an endgame, we cannot— but we need to have an endgame, we cannot keep _ but we need to have an endgame, we cannot keep sending _ but we need to have an endgame, we cannot keep sending blank— but we need to have an endgame, we cannot keep sending blank cheques. cannot keep sending blank cheques and neither— cannot keep sending blank cheques and neither should _ cannot keep sending blank cheques and neither should nato _ cannot keep sending blank cheques and neither should nato or- cannot keep sending blank cheques and neither should nato or any- cannot keep sending blank cheques. and neither should nato or any other agencies _ and neither should nato or any other agencies around _ and neither should nato or any other agencies around the _ and neither should nato or any other agencies around the world. - and neither should nato or any other agencies around the world. we - and neither should nato or any other agencies around the world. we need | agencies around the world. we need to understand — agencies around the world. we need to understand how— agencies around the world. we need to understand how all— agencies around the world. we need to understand how all of— agencies around the world. we need to understand how all of this - to understand how all of this unfotds _ to understand how all of this unfolds and _ to understand how all of this unfolds and how— to understand how all of this unfolds and how everyone i to understand how all of this i unfolds and how everyone can to understand how all of this - unfolds and how everyone can win. only person — unfolds and how everyone can win. only person who _ unfolds and how everyone can win. only person who can _ unfolds and how everyone can win. only person who can deliver- unfolds and how everyone can win. only person who can deliver that l unfolds and how everyone can win.i only person who can deliver that is president _ only person who can deliver that is president trump. _ only person who can deliver that is president trump. joe _ only person who can deliver that is president trump. joe biden - only person who can deliver that is president trump. joe biden cannot| president trump. joe biden cannot even _ president trump. joe biden cannot even pick— president trump. joe biden cannot even pick up — president trump. joe biden cannot even pick on the _ president trump. joe biden cannot even pick up the phone, _ president trump. joe biden cannot even pick up the phone, his - president trump. joe biden cannot even pick up the phone, his officel even pick up the phone, his office hours _ even pick up the phone, his office hours are — even pick up the phone, his office hours are between _ even pick up the phone, his office hours are between 10am - even pick up the phone, his office hours are between 10am until- even pick up the phone, his officel hours are between 10am until 4pm every— hours are between 10am until 4pm every single — hours are between 10am until 4pm every single dav _ hours are between 10am until 4pm every single day. we _ hours are between 10am untilltpm every single day-— every single day. we don't know that. i every single day. we don't know that i will _ every single day. we don't know that i will go — every single day. we don't know that. i will go back— every single day. we don't know that. i will go back to _ every single day. we don't know that. i will go back to ameshia l that. i will go back to ameshia cross. let me ask you, ifjoe biden does step down, who do you want to see on the ticket? lintiii does step down, who do you want to

see on the ticket?— see on the ticket? until he announces _ see on the ticket? until he announces he _ see on the ticket? until he announces he is _ see on the ticket? until he announces he is stepping i see on the ticket? until he - announces he is stepping down i will be on _ announces he is stepping down i will be on the _ announces he is stepping down i will be on the side of him not stepping down, _ be on the side of him not stepping down, and — be on the side of him not stepping down, and the most logical person would _ down, and the most logical person would be _ down, and the most logical person would be kamala harris, but as a point _ would be kamala harris, but as a point of— would be kamala harris, but as a point of a — would be kamala harris, but as a point of a vice president, in the case _ point of a vice president, in the case of— point of a vice president, in the case of anything happening to the present — case of anything happening to the present. with that being said, she would _ present. with that being said, she would inherit the war chest, she is most _ would inherit the war chest, she is most likely— would inherit the war chest, she is most likely to do so, the biden harris — most likely to do so, the biden harris ticket had a tonne of donors and they— harris ticket had a tonne of donors and they will donate to the other half of— and they will donate to the other half of the ticket. she is a person closest _ half of the ticket. she is a person closest to— half of the ticket. she is a person closest to the policy winds of this presidency because she served at the i’ili'it presidency because she served at the right hand _ presidency because she served at the right hand of the president and as a first black— right hand of the president and as a first black woman vice president, it is a slap _ first black woman vice president, it is a slap in — first black woman vice president, it is a slap in the face to the black community, the largest demographic of democratic voters and most consistent, to skip over the sitting vice president. i know that the right— vice president. i know that the right ones— vice president. i know that the right ones to see a war in chicago, my home — right ones to see a war in chicago, my home town, it will not happen. it will be _ my home town, it will not happen. it will be a _ my home town, it will not happen. it will be a peaceful transition to cameron— will be a peaceful transition to cameron harris who would have to then choose. cameron harris who would have to then choose-— cameron harris who would have to then choose. thank you very much. ameshia cross _ then choose. thank you very much. ameshia cross and _ then choose. thank you very much.

ameshia cross and angie _ then choose. thank you very much. ameshia cross and angie wong, . then choose. thank you very much. i ameshia cross and angie wong, enjoy the address from donald trump. i am sure you will. the front pages... the financial times, pelosi and obama add to the doubts over the chances for biden in the white house race. workers to get the right to ignore their e—mails under new rules. sorry about the graphics! there they are. fanatical finder jailed for five years. and. well activists given record jail terms for the m25 protest. and that is keir starmer meeting volodymyr zelensky. and the daily mirror, they failed us all, the colbert report that said the conservative government failed all of us, us citizens across the four nations and a judge spoke for all of us on the ego fanatics, talking about the jailing ofjust stop oil members. thank you very much.—

thank you very much. christian fraser is here _ thank you very much. christian fraser is here tomorrow. - thank you very much. christian fraser is here tomorrow. have | live from london, this is bbc news. hello, i'm catherine byaruhanga. in an exclusive interview with the bbc, ukraine's president zelensky says any pressure from the west to end the war with russia quickly would be at the expense of his people. he was speaking after attending a gathering of european leaders at blenheim palace in oxfordshire, where sir keir starmer urged them to stand firm in their support of ukraine.

mr zelensky will address the uk cabinet on friday. it comes as donald trump prepares to address republicans at their national convention in milwaukee, with the fear in europe that if he wins november's presidential election, he'll be less committed to the security of the continent than president biden. here's our political editor chris mason. when donald trump said last year that he thought this war could end within 2a hours if he was to meet both you and vladimir putin, what did you make of that? everybody will be happy if one person in the world — doesn't depend, donald trump or not — ok, donald trump — if one person in the world and this person is donald trump can stop the war during 2a hours. the question is, what is the price and who will pay?

do you think you would pay? ithink... i am not meaning that his idea to push us to pay, but if he wants to do it during 2a hours, the simple way is to push us to pay, because it's understandable how. it means just stop and give. and forget. sanctions out, everything out, putin will take the land, putin will have victory for his society. we will never go on this. never. and there is no any guy in the world who can push us to do it. donald trump this week has picked the man who would like to be his vice president, jd vance, who has said in the past that he doesn't really care what happens in ukraine one way or another. what do you make of those remarks?

maybe he really doesn't understand what goes on in ukraine. so for us, we have to work with the united states and if a new team will come, we have to work with them. we need their support. it will be hard work. hard work? could be hard work to persuade them. yes, but we are not afraid of hard work. did your heart sink last week when president biden, standing right next to you, introduced you as president putin, of all people? translation: no, hejust made a mistake. honestly, for me, it means nothing. president zelensky will meet keir starmer and his senior ministers tomorrow. he told me he wants a special relationship with sir keir and permission to fire western weapons deep into russia. we need very strong support from the prime minister. we need this decision about long—distance weapons,

long—range, to use it. we need it very much. they are targeting our hospitals, schools, universities. like i said to you, they are targeting civilians. we just want to answer to exactly the point where from they target us. how does this war end? and how soon could it do? do you have to restore ukraine to the borders that you had before 2014 in order for you to be convinced that that is grounds for peace? translation: it depend on partners who will put pressure on russia, - so that russia agrees to sit down and think about ending the war. it doesn't mean that all the territories are won back by force. i think that the power of diplomacy can help. i want to try and understand, on behalf of our audience, how it is to be a wartime leader.

how do you keep going? i am not sure that i am some special man or something like this, really. i had...| think... very good parents, and to have values of ordinary, normal people. we all have our limits, we are all human — could you reach the point where you couldn't go on as president? yes, ithink, yes. everybody... because we are just people. you could reach the point where you would have to hand over to someone else? yes, of course. in the next year, the next few years? after the war. so you keep going until the war is done. we have to finish with it and we have to finish with him. i think it is very important for our people, our country.

finish with vladimir putin? yes. mr president, thank you for your time. thank you so much. thank you. the bbc�*s chris mason speaking to ukraine's president zelensky. police in leeds say they are dealing with ongoing disorder which has broken out in a part of the city. west yorkshire police say they were initially called to an incident at 5pm. footage shows a double—decker bus on fire in the hailes area. people also attacked a police car and set on —— mike harehills. in the home secretary has said she is appalled by the disorder, writing that it has no place in society. our correspondent chi chi izundu joins me now.

what can you tell us tonight? so, this started _ what can you tell us tonight? so, this started about five or six hours ago and the police were called to an address in luxor street in the harehills area of leeds and there were called there to deal with an ongoing incident that involved agency workers and children. those people had to be moved to safety when other people turned up and police described what happened as pockets of the breaking out. as you said, there is a social media footage online showing large crowds attacking police vans, throwing objects, setting things on fire in the street, and as you can see, the pass burnt out, the double—decker bus that has been set on fire and completely burnt out, we do know that the police car that was flipped on its side by that crowd has now been removed, but there is still heavy police presence in the area. we understand that west yorkshire police have called for help from

northumbria and north and south yorkshire police forces to assist them in trying to control what's going on. footage shows them in riot gear. they're asking people stay away from the area. some roads have been closed and they are asking people to stay at home.- been closed and they are asking people to stay at home. thank you very much- — people to stay at home. thank you very much. remember, _ people to stay at home. thank you very much. remember, you - people to stay at home. thank you very much. remember, you can i people to stay at home. thank you | very much. remember, you can get more and a story on the bbc website. the first report published by the uk's covid inquiry has found significant flaws in the government's pandemic preparations resulted in coronavirus causing more deaths and economic damage than it should have done. the damning report, the first of at least nine that will be released by the inquiry, said the government and devolved nations had "failed their citizens", and that "radical reform" was needed to prepare for future emergencies. here's our health editor, hugh pym. empty streets, schools closed. deadly viruses aren't new and mask wearing has been enforced.

previous global outbreaks, like swine flu and sars, showed the world how an infectious disease could be controlled. but when covid struck, doctors like lisa remember how the uk was not ready. we were not prepared at all for anything of this level. we were scrambling to try to piece things together. we've had so many opportunities in the past — with sars, with swine flu — to learn lessons about how to lock down, how to have stockpiles of protective gear, how to wear masks properly. and we've learned nothing. today, the findings from the first phase of the inquiry were published. it concluded, "the uk was ill prepared for dealing with a catastrophic emergency," and then went on to state that, "in the years leading up to the pandemic, there was a lack of adequate leadership, coordination and oversight." i have no hesitation in concluding that the processes, planning and policy of the civil

contingency structures across the united kingdom failed the citizens of all four nations. there were serious errors on the part of the state and serious flaws in our civil emergency systems. this cannot be allowed to happen again. the bereaved, including deborah, seen here on the left, gathered at the inquiry. her mother contracted covid in march 2020 and didn't survive. a very comprehensive report, hard—hitting. there's a lot in there, you know, the families, what we've experienced. it's there in black—and—white now, they said the government were ill—prepared. that's incredible... and those working in social care felt vulnerable as covid first spread. there was no preparation for infection prevention at all within the care home setting. did you? maria was in charge of a care home in early 2020. herfirst resident died of covid in mid february,

but in the week it took to confirm it was the virus that killed him, another nine residents contracted it. in those early days, there was no guidance, there was no ppe being sent to us. it was extremely scary. it was extremely isolating to be told to kind ofjust get on with it, really. it felt like an absolute war zone. it was just... ..like us versus the virus. today's report says rather than focusing on how to stop the spread of a disease, including stockpiling ppe and preparing a testing programme, the uk was too focused on coping with the consequences. as the report concludes, they should've concentrated on tackling the causes. here at the inquiry, baroness hallett has made a series of recommendations, including for a uk wide statutory body, bringing together westminster and the devolved administrations to

work on future resilience planning. she said based on the evidence she heard, another pandemic was likely. she said she wanted responses within six months, a view shared by campaigners gathering opposite westminster and determined to hold ministers to account. hugh pym, bbc news. let's turn to the us now — where questions continue to grow around the candidacy of president joe biden in the 2024 us election. the washington post is reporting tonight that the former president, barack obama, has told allies that mr biden must seriously consider his viability to win a second term. the beleaguered president has now tested positive for covid, forcing him to suspend engagements and isolate at his home in delaware. his fortunes are in stark contrast to those of donald trump, who in the next few hours will deliver his convention speech before the republican party faithful in milwaukee,

less than a week after a gunman tried to kill him. sarah smith has the very latest. looking frail and unsteady, it is almost painful to watch joe biden making his way home to isolation. there couldn't be a worse time for him to catch covid. he has had to pause his campaigning just days after watching donald trump get shot and walk it off. earlier he had told black entertainment television in what circumstances he would step aside. if there is some medical condition that emerged, if doctors came to me and said, you had this problem, that problem. former president barack obama, who appeared withjoe biden at a recent fundraiser, is said to be concerned he can't beat donald trump and is worried about protecting the legacy of a leader who has achieved a great deal in one term. last weekjoe biden called into the morning joe tv show to say he's not standing aside. today, the presenter had a message directly for his closest advisers.

it is really incumbent on people that are around joe biden to step up at this point and help the president, and help the man they love, and do the right thing. vice president kamala harris is very carefully carrying on with business as usual, campaigning in north carolina, but ifjoe biden does step aside, she could take over. not only is she his number two, she has big political backers. we are 110 days out from the election. nearly every time, we will say this is the one. well, this here is the one. at the republican convention in milwaukee, the mood is positivelyjoyful. they seem to be blessed by good news. at a fringe event last night, they heard from donald trump for the first time since he was shot. it's what they call a close call.

that was amazing, horrible thing, amazing, and in many ways it changes your attitude, your viewpoint, your life. his running mate, jd vance, got his moment in the spotlight. he might want to work on how he waves, just to avoid misunderstandings. and he talked about the america he says he wants to restore. a country where a working class boy born far from the halls of power can stand on this stage as the next vice president of the united states of america. applause. tonight is donald trump's turn. he has had a hero's welcome every time he shows his face here. expect the audience to go into raptures when he actually delivers what is being described as a very personal speech. let's go live to the republican convention in milwaukee and join my colleague caitriona perry.

first of all, what's the reaction where you are and elsewhere in the us to those reports that the former president, barack obama, has said thatjoe biden should consider his viability to win a second term? is you can imagine, there's great excitement about that here among the republican party members. they have been projecting a scene of unity and strength here all week and a look across at the democratic party and they see what they were call disarray with members of the party from junior to senior elders of the party, publicly to say it is time to remove their president, there are normally from the top of the ticket. so there has been very welcomed here. they feel that as a marked contrast to what here at this time. across the rest of the us, it is a case of, you know, there's nothing

been said officially in public, we are relying on report of the us media, butjust in the last half hour or so, then new york times is reporting that it has sources close to present biden who say he may now be reaching a point where he may have to seriously consider stepping down from the race. he hasn't made that decision yet but they say he is considering it. with each passing hour we get another bit of a drip, drip, drip, more pressure mounting onjoe biden, that potentially he may have to take a decision soon. all eyes will be on the stage behind you for donald trump's big speech to the convention. a lot has been said that perhaps his town might change this time around, so your hearing? __ by this time around, so your hearing? —— by his tone. donald trump has said that himself, he has said throughout his speech that he intended to give here at the rnc was a humdinger, as he described it and

he has reportedly replaced it with something he has entirely written himself, that is very personal, are fighting on his experience of that bullet whizzing by his right ear, he is still wearing that bandage, he's going to talk about that and he's going to talk about that and he's going to talk about that and he's going to talk about what we have heard from him early in the way, this appealfor unity, heard from him early in the way, this appeal for unity, this appeal for coming down of the sometimes violent political rhetoric. he is due to speak for around an hour and maybe even longer than that if there are poses for the inevitable applause and all the chanting we have heard at the rnc. so i think we can expect some more what they would call here red meat in that speech, some of those famous headlines that would appeal to his core base voters, who are packed into the arena here and he will be also watching around the us and around the world as well when he makes that speech later on. the world as well when he makes that speech later on— speech later on. thank you very much.

speech later on. thank you very much- and _ speech later on. thank you very much. and remember, - speech later on. thank you very much. and remember, we - speech later on. thank you very much. and remember, we will. speech later on. thank you very - much. and remember, we will have live coverage from our colleagues in milwaukee throughout the evening and the night here on the former president donald trump's speech to the republican convention. a spokesperson for the former strictly come dancing professional dancer graziano di prima has confirmed the star did kick his celebrity partner, zara mcdermott, during a training session last year. speaking to the bbc, his publicist said graziano knew he made a mistake, apologised at the time, and thought the matter had been resolved. but video of the incident is believed to have been brought to the bbc�*s attention last week, and the dancer was then dropped from this year's line—up. katie razzall has the latest. to people at home, it looked like a showbiz fairy tale, but a rehearsal room video recently surfaced and graziano di prima was dropped as a strictly dancer. he apologised for what happened and said his determination to win may have affected

his training regime. his spokesperson has now confirmed to the bbc that di prima kicked zara mcdermott. he is obviously trying to find a way of actually getting the best out of it and i'm afraid that might have been pushed too far. but there's surely never a time when kicking somebody can be justified ? no, there is never a time when kicking or any sense of it is right. and he knows that? he knows that. after the story emerged, documentary maker and influencer zara mcdermott talked of incredibly distressing incidents in the training room with graziano. in a new statement tonight to bbc news, her spokesperson said this was not one incident and to suggest that would be entirely false. it follows accusations about the behaviour of another strictly dancer, giovanni pernice, towards amanda abbington. he denies it and the bbc is investigating. the bbc�*s biggest entertainment show is under pressure, with questions swirling over whether the corporation has overseen an environment where misbehaviour

was tolerated and insiders were too scared to report what was happening. others have blamed a culture clash with the exacting world of dance. kristina rihanoff was a strictly pro for eight years but says in recent series, for the dancers and the stars, it has reached another level. it was so much more pressure, to deliver, to outdance each other. i do understand that you get frustrated, tired, but physical abuse, obviously it's a no and calling names is a no. it's not acceptable in our society and shouldn't be acceptable on the show. while not reaching for excuses, graziano di prima's spokesperson says his client has been left in a very vulnerable state after a social media pile—on for what he called a one—off incident not a pattern of behaviour in a very competitive contest. i think the bbc are aware of all the professionals and how hard they push it.

look, these people go on the cliched journey, they go from, you know, virtual cart horses into these amazing swans. what does it take to do that? and we're beginning to see it's tough. the bbc says it will always take issues of inappropriate behaviour seriously and act if they're raised. it has announced it will now have chaperones in the rehearsal rooms and welfare officers for celebrities and pros. for the vast majority of contestants, it adds, the strictly experience is positive. katie razzall, bbc news. you watching bbc news. remember, we are going to have live coverage throughout the night from the republican national convention ahead of donald trump's speech. stay with us. hello there.

thursday brought us the kind of weather we've just not been accustomed to of late. it was very warm and sunny across large parts of the country, and the highest temperatures got up to 28.4 celsius at iver waterworks in buckinghamshire. it'll be even hotter than that, though, for friday, with top temperatures expected to hit 3! or 32 celsius, which would make it the hottest day of the year so far. at the moment, we do have some patches of low cloud affecting scotland and northern ireland, coming up through the irish sea as well. so with that, some mist and fog patches to start the day friday, an occasional spit of drizzle across these northern and western areas. but friday is going to be a hot day, particularly for england and wales, because we've got this big ridge pattern in the jet stream, and that's making an area of high pressure. it's that high pressure that's bringing the hot air and particularly focusing it across england and wales. so this is where we'll see the best of the sunshine and the highest temperatures. further north and west, though, we do start off with that low cloud, a few mist patches around, a bit of drizzle too. the weather should at least brighten up, with some sunny spells coming through for a time,

ahead of this next area of rain that will turn quite heavy. but it will arrive quite late in the day. 2! degrees or so, still not bad for scotland and northern ireland, but hot for england and wales. temperatures, high 20s quite widely, even 31, 32 degrees in the hot spots, so it is likely to be the hottest day of the year. into the weekend, we see a change to cooler weather conditions as this weather front slowly pushes its way eastwards across the country. the front itself bringing the rain, though, quite quickly on saturday into northern ireland and western scotland, eventually reaches wales and western england. the rain heavy at times with some thunder, could be some localised flooding mixed in with this lot. east scotland, parts of east wales and most of england, it's another largely dry day. there will, though, be more high cloud in the sky, so any sunshine is likely to be much hazier. and the temperatures, well, mid—20s in the hot spots, maybe the high 20s across parts of eastern england. but by sunday, the cooler atlantic air will have reached all parts of the country. any rain clearing away from east anglia, south—east england with a few showers into the north—west of the uk.

temperatures back down into the high teens to low 20s, and it's that kind of weather pattern that we see, then, into next week as well — a mixture of sunny spells and passing showers. temperatures generally quite close to average, so it will feel 0k in thejuly sun. bye for now.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines

at the top of the hour, 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.