hello. welcome to bbc news. i'm lewis vaughan jones. the headlines: a special report on the refugees passing through i run, in the hopes to reach turkey. this is full of risk but many feel this is their best hope. important new data from the uk shows one in six of those most critically ill with covid—19 are pregnant women who have not received a vaccine. britain reaffirms its security focus in asia, one of the uk's largest warships arrived in singapore. making a statement in the world of comic books, superman's son comes out as bisexual.

welcome to the programme. turkish authorities have boosted security on the border with iran and say they will not accept an influx of migrants and refugees fleeing the taliban in afghanistan. many refugees make the trip hoping to travel onwards to other european countries. turkey already has the world's largest refugee population of around 4 million people. our international correspondent has been to the turkish border province of van and sent this report. turkey is cracking down on those who sneak across the border. even those in this smuggler�*s safe house, who may have fled in fear from the taliban.

well, the operation here has taken just a few minutes. there are about a0 men inside, sitting down, looking tired, some looking quite scared. the conditions are pretty squalid and the police here are telling us they believe these men have come from afghanistan. we were flown across van province to turkey's remote eastern border, where many try to enter. if they can get past this, turkey's border wall with iran. built three years ago and now being extended. since the fall of kabul, reinforcements have arrived. there's been an about—face in turkey on refugees and migrants. the country has already absorbed 3.6 million syrians. the local governor says there will be no influx across this border.

the watchtowers here were funded by the european union. it doesn't want a new wave of arrivals reaching its doors. take a look at the terrain here. this is a mountainous region. it's exposed, the ground is rough, and crossing iran to reach the turkish border here can take a month or more. the journey is full of risk, but some afghans still feel this is their best hope. like this group, who we found on turkish soil. police.

among them, men who stood against the taliban. we are concealing his identity. here he was, proudly serving his country. he told me in recent weeks the taliban have killed some of his brothers in arms, despite promising an amnesty. soon they were on the move and on the run, hoping to avoid capture by the turkish police. "0k, 0k, we're coming," he tells the waiting smuggler. since we filmed these pictures, some of the men have been detained. they can no longer go forward, and they dare not go back. orla guerin, bbc news,

on the turkish—iranian border. pregnant women are being urged to get the covid vaccine following concerns about the growing number with the virus needing the most serious treatment in critical care. new data shows one in six of the most critically ill patients in hospital in the uk are pregnant and unvaccinated. with more details on the findings, here is our health editor. we've been trying to have a baby for a long time now. i can't believe we're still both here, to be honest. it's not long now, and he's going to be in the world. claire is reliving her covid ordeal injuly, seriously ill when she was 26 weeks pregnant and then on a ventilator in intensive care for 12 days. i thought i was going to die, and i thought he was going to die and we'd waited so long for this family that that was the greatest fear, that my husband was going to lose us both. claire did her own research on the vaccines, but by

the time she decided to have the jab, it was too late, she'd got the virus. along with medical experts, she's appealing to expectant mums to get vaccinated. some said guidelines earlier this year were confusing, but health leaders now say it's clear, covid can create serious risks for pregnant women. if they become unwell with covid—i9, they're more likely to need intensive care. they're also more likely to give birth prematurely, and that has long—term effects for the baby. they�* re u nfortu nately more likely to have a stillbirth and much more likely to have a cesarean section. here at royal papworth hospital in cambridge, there's a specialist unit using technology known as ecmo, in effect, an artificial lung. some women who'vejust had their babies have become so sick that they've had to be brought here to this unit for treatment with the most intensive form of life support available for covid—i9 patients. rachel is a consultant here.

she's witnessed the heartache for mothers treated away from their babies. i think it's devastating for the mother, for the family and for our staff seeing a woman being separated from their babies for weeks, could be months. often see tears in the unit from both sides. sultana was one of those mums. her twins were delivered by emergency cesarean because she was so ill with covid. she had to be transferred without them to intensive care at royal papworth. while i was asleep, my twins were born. i had no idea my babies are born. thinking, "ok, this woman might not going to make it." sultana says she didn't

get to hold her baby girls for weeks. for 41 days, this will always be a gap in my life. my husband was taking care of them, changing their nappies. my sister was doing that while i was not doing that. that gap can never be filled. regardlessly, i have the diaries, i have the photos, i was seeing them through the screen. so i wouldn't want any woman to face what i faced. we're so excited today, huh? these are happier times. she hadn't had a jab because she got ill in the early stages of the vaccine rollout, but her plea to all expectant mothers is to get vaccinated as it can help families as well as protecting mums—to—be. hugh pym, bbc news.

a special epidemiologist will speak to us now. thank you for being on the programme. we saw those stories, focusing on the situation in the uk, is it similararound on the situation in the uk, is it similar around the world? it is. particularly in the united states there is a similar warning that our centers for disease control and prevention, the national public health agency, just about one week ago they sent out a very similar health alert stating that pregnant women are at increased risk of hospitalisation, for admission to icu, require icu care, and even death. in fact, some of the studies recently published on recent data show that a pregnant person compared to an unvaccinated person is at a 70% increased risk of death, and two fold increased wrecks of icu level care. is data doesn't

lie. it is devastating to see, as you just add the stories... as a mother myself of three children i can't imagine what these mothers must be experiencing. i think, these mothers must be experiencing. ithink, you know, it is also important to know, it is also important to know that we have had here, locally and in the united states as as well as in the uk, over 160,000 women here successfully vaccinated without any safety signals that have shown crosstalk. given the success and the potential really serious downsides, what is going on? is it a case because at the beginning there was some uncertainty about pregnant women getting the vaccine that it has meant the take—up hasn't been high enough? i put it down to three different factors. first, pregnant women were excluded from clinical trials early on, and this is unsurprising. a lot of clinical trials besides the

covenant in vaccine excluded pregnant women, so it is not to say that some of the volunteers didn't get pregnant, because they did, but that was one uncertainty many look it. there was also mixed and unclear guidance from public health officials saying they should or shouldn't get vaccinated and, now as you know, major public health people have endorsed vaccinations for those pregnant, thinking of getting pregnant, thinking of getting pregnant, and lactating. at the moment there was a lack of data but as mentioned there is a great amount of data now showing the vaccines are safe and effective in those pregnant and effective in those pregnant and lactating. did you participate in a trial as well? i did you participate in a trial as well? , as well? i did. i delivered my child 1-5 _ as well? i did. i delivered my child 1.5 years _ as well? i did. i delivered my child 1.5 years ago, _ as well? i did. i delivered my child 1.5 years ago, and - as well? i did. i delivered my child 1.5 years ago, and as i as well? i did. i delivered my child 1.5 years ago, and as a | child 1.5 years ago, and as a lactating mum i got naturally impacted. i decided to donate moment to see if i had antibodies i could transfer to the baby. then i got vaccines and continue to test my breast milk. in part of the study i was in, mothers who are

lactating and gotten vaccinated, they actually translate vaccine induced antibodies to the child, and thatis antibodies to the child, and that is so important because the child is growing up in a pandemic and this is the first line of defence and protection, so it is great to be a part of the trial. absolutely fascinating, thank you so much for coming on and talking to us. thank you. let's get some other news. a small plane has crashed into a residential area in san diego, california, killing at least two people and injuring two others. the accident happened two blocks from high school. witnesses the plane was tilting before falling to the ground where it crashed on a lorry, causing a fire and damaging homes. the north korean leader says his country's weapons development is necessary in the face of hostile american policies. kim jong—un says pyongyang is building up its military

in self—defence, and not to start a war. north korea has pushed ahead with its and nuclear programmes defiance of international sanctions. now, the british aircraft carrier hms queen elizabeth is currently docked in singapore. the command of the royal navy uk strike group says the uk will base more ships in asia to demonstrate a stronger military presence. the step by britain and its western allies is linked to china by the growing militarisation indices that are vital to the movement of trillions of dollars of global trade. this is the hms queen elizabeth. she's an impressive vessel — 280m in length and taller than the niagara falls. she left the uk in may and has been travelling through asia where the british navy has conducted joint military exercises with british allies, including south korea, and here in singapore. most recently, she has been travelling through the south china sea and it is being seen as a real demonstration of british military might. this is a part of the world where the navy has probably

retreated in the last 20 years, but the recent review has made it quite clear we want to have a more persistent and enduring presence here. queen elizabeth is the first step. i think you will see the air force exercising with other air forces and the british army exercising with other armies, we'll see exchange programmes and education programmes and science and technology. i think that is how we'll symbolise that the indo—pacific is important to the united kingdom. one—third of the world's trade flows through the south china sea, the growing economies here, so it is natural tat united kingdom, you know, wants to have a presence and a say and be involved in this really important region. there are two new vessels on their way now from panama to singapore, and they will stay here on an ongoing basis — a clear sign that the uk's pivot to asia is for the long haul. coming out of the fund with and out of

parts of san francisco least affected by the earthquake are returning to life, but in the marina area where most of the damage was done, they are more conscious than ever of how much has been destroyed. in the 19 years since he was last here, he has gone from being a little—known revolutionary to an experienced and successful diplomatic operator. it was a 20—pound bomb which exploded on the fifth floor of the grand hotel, . ripping a hole in the front of the building. _ this government will not weaken. democracy will prevail. it fills me with humility and gratitude to know that i have been chosen as the recipient of this foremost of earthly honours. this catholic nation held its breath - for the men they called the 33. and then, bells tolled i

nationwide to announce the first rescue and _ chile let out an almighty roar. welcome back. this is bbc news. leftover look at the headlines. in turkey, the authorities have boosted security on their border with iran and warned they won't accept an influx of migrants and refugees fleeing the taliban in afghanistan. important new data from the uk shows one in six of those most critically ill with covid—19 are pregnant women who have not received a vaccine. the un secretary—general antonio guterres has urged the international community to inject liquidity into the afghan economy. that is to stave off a catastrophic economic collapse. there will be a group to

discuss afghanistan civilians and how to fight against terrorism. iamjoined by i am joined by a man iamjoined bya man born i amjoined bya man born in i am joined by a man born in raised i amjoined bya man born in raised in i am joined by a man born in raised in afghanistan and is i amjoined bya man born in raised in afghanistan and is an analyst of afghanistan finance and banking and has worked for groups and institutions. thank you for coming on the programme. they talked about injecting liquidity into the afghan economy. we have to first explain what that means. what is going on here is the afghanistan central bank invested all their cash and liquidity with the federal reserve of the united states. after the collapse of the afghanistan government, all the assets and cash has been frozen. afghanistan central bank and commercial bank are

facing a serious of credit and liquidity and there is no cash basically in afghanistan. people need cash and that is the major problem for the entire finance and banking industry in afghanistan at this point. how do you try and get cash into the hands of ordinary afghans without all the other risks of trying to get money into the economy? that is definitely the major question for the afghanistan people, as well as for the united states and european partners. at this point, because the taliban are not politically recognised, so there is no financial transaction, but offers of foreign asset control here at the treasury department of the united states two weeks ago

issued to general licenses where the relief organisation could actually take money and buy somehow take cash to afghanistan and support the relief and medical and food programmes. i think these are the ways where don't give money directly to the taliban, but through international organisations and local organisations, there is a way you could support of afghanistan.- you could support of afu hanistan. ,, ~ you could support of afuhanistan. i. ~ ., afghanistan. do you think that will be enough? _ afghanistan. do you think that will be enough? if— afghanistan. do you think that will be enough? if you - afghanistan. do you think that will be enough? if you are - will be enough? if you are effectively bypassing the taliban and those in control and relying on other organisations to get cash directly to afghans, is there enough capacity that way to get enough capacity that way to get enough to stave off an economic catastrophe? £31 enough to stave off an economic catastmphe?_ catastrophe? of course not. afghanistan _ catastrophe? of course not. afghanistan economy - catastrophe? of course not. afghanistan economy has i catastrophe? of course not. i afghanistan economy has been downgraded from a fragile economy to a failed economy.

right now, inflation is ever increasing, afghanistan currency is losing value against other major currencies, specifically the united states dollar and the euro. 0n the other hand, there is no school teachers, hospitals, workers, doctors, all those who are part of the government have not received a monthly salary. there are significant challenges at this point, and honestly, it is not easy for the international community, specifically the united states and the uk and european partners to give money anyway, because at this point, the telegram, the government, there are a lot of people within the government, senior officials that are on the blacklist and a lot of uncertainty and ambiguity in terms of how the international community can deal with afghanistan. we have to leave it _ deal with afghanistan. we have to leave it there. _ deal with afghanistan. we have to leave it there. it _ deal with afghanistan. we have to leave it there. it sounds i to leave it there. it sounds like a understatement, a

challenge. thank you so much for talking to us. dc comics has announced its latest superman will be bisexual. john kent is the most recent superhero to come out following versions of captain america, aqua man and batman's sidekick, robin. a superman as we have never seen him before. dc comics say the son of clarke kent and lois lane, john kent, is coming out as bisexual. the creators say the man of steel has always stood for hope, truth and justice and now presents something more. when i was offered this job, i thought, well, if we're going to have a new superman for the dc universe, it feels like a missed opportunity to have another straight white saviour. dc comics publisherjim lee said in a statement: the comic isn't due to be released until november, but there has been plenty of reaction online already. look, the reactions have been —

honestly, they have been overwhelmingly positive, which i wasn't quite expecting. yes, there is a lot of trolling online, but there are so many people reaching out in so many different languages, saying what this means to them. i'm seeing tweets of people saying that they burst into tears when they read the news, that they wished that superman was this when they were growing up, that they could see themselves, and people saying for the first time ever they are seeing themselves in superman something they never thought was possible. his sexuality isn't the only way the character has been updated. in recent editions, he's been advocating for refugees and fighting the climate crisis. is ita bird, is ita plane or is it social change? courtney bembridge, bbc news. george is a new york times reporter who has been writing about comics for almost two decades. thank you for coming on the programme.— decades. thank you for coming on the programme. thank you for havin: on the programme. thank you for having me- _

on the programme. thank you for having me- it _ on the programme. thank you for having me. it is— on the programme. thank you for having me. it is very _ on the programme. thank you for having me. it is very exciting. i having me. it is very exciting. as we mentioned, this isn't the first character. we have had others. but it is the significance that it is attached to superman, such a big name. attached to superman, such a big name-— attached to superman, such a bi name. . .~ , ., big name. that makes it a huge difference- _ big name. that makes it a huge difference. we _ big name. that makes it a huge difference. we have _ big name. that makes it a huge difference. we have seen i big name. that makes it a huge difference. we have seen a i big name. that makes it a huge difference. we have seen a lot. difference. we have seen a lot of lgbt superheroes in the past couple of decades, and some of them are not quite household names, but when you can attach something like this to the name superman, who is known around the world, people will pay attention.— the world, people will pay attention. . ., , attention. what have you been ickin: attention. what have you been picking up _ attention. what have you been picking up about _ attention. what have you been picking up about the _ attention. what have you been picking up about the reaction l picking up about the reaction to this? ., picking up about the reaction to this? ,, ., picking up about the reaction to this? ~' ., ., to this? like tom taylor said, it has been — to this? like tom taylor said, it has been mostly _ to this? like tom taylor said, it has been mostly positive. l to this? like tom taylor said, it has been mostly positive. a lot of people were really moved by the fact that this is happening, and there is also the usual segment of naysayers on the internet who feel like this character should not become this.— this character should not become this. this character should not becomethis. , , become this. many people will become this. many people will be watching — become this. many people will be watching you _ become this. many people will be watching you perhaps i become this. many people will be watching you perhaps not i become this. many people will| be watching you perhaps not as up—to—date as you are with everything. we will think of

superman and think there is still a relevance, he has been going on for so long. how long has he been around? is it still relevant today? he has he been around? is it still relevant today?— relevant today? he has been around for — relevant today? he has been around for 80 _ relevant today? he has been around for 80 plus _ relevant today? he has been around for 80 plus years. i i around for 80 plus years. i think that speaks really well to the longevity of the character. every so often, maybe every couple of decades, dc will try to do a revitalisation of the character in some way. for many years, he was single. in the 90s he married i was lying. about five years ago they gave two of them are some. they are always adding to the story.- are some. they are always adding to the story. and latest addition helps _ adding to the story. and latest addition helps that _ adding to the story. and latest addition helps that longevity, l addition helps that longevity, i presume? addition helps that longevity, i presume?— addition helps that longevity, i presume? for sure, because ou can i presume? for sure, because you can tell— i presume? for sure, because you can tell different - i presume? for sure, because you can tell different types i i presume? for sure, because you can tell different types of| you can tell different types of stories with superman, and as a father, you can tell stories about his son, john, coming out as bisexual. itjust gives you basically lots of additional stories. , ,

basically lots of additional stories. , . ., basically lots of additional stories. , ., ~ ., stories. just talking about specifically. _ stories. just talking about specifically, is _ stories. just talking about specifically, is it - stories. just talking about specifically, is it coming l stories. just talking about l specifically, is it coming out in hardcopy form, where people go out, will it be a rush to stands like we'll imagined in the old days? is that how it works? , , , , works? typically, when there is a big new _ works? typically, when there is a big new story _ works? typically, when there is a big new story like _ works? typically, when there is a big new story like this, i works? typically, when there is a big new story like this, yes. l a big new story like this, yes. there is a lot of speculators who will hit the comic stores to buy this issue. we will see that happens this case. we will see. all that happens this case. we will see- all right. _ that happens this case. we will see. all right, george, - that happens this case. we will see. all right, george, thank. see. all right, george, thank you for coming on the programme.— you for coming on the programme. you for coming on the rouramme. . ~ ,, y you for coming on the rouramme. . ~ i. , . continuing to see extraordinary images from the volcano on the palm island. let's just take a quick look at the images —— la palma. serious tremors have shaken the ground, causing even more love to flow, and these pictures have been sentin and these pictures have been sent in by spine, blocks of red hot lava estimated to be the size of three story buildings

flowing down the side of the volcano. extraordinary pictures. that is it from me. i'm lewis vaughan jones. this is bbc news. bye— bye. hello. it was a chilly start to monday for many a morning commuter, and it will be again on tuesday morning for one or two, particularly across some southern counties of england and south wales, as well as the far north—east of scotland. it's these areas where you'll have the clearest of the skies to begin with. in between, temperatures much higher than they were on monday, and that's because of this weather front and the cloud from it stretching across scotland into eastern england. and that's going to be inching a little bit further westwards as we go through tuesday. high pressure still, though, in the far west, keeping things dry. only an isolated shower possible, still some sunny spells. but a lot of cloud across scotland and northern and eastern england. that could produce some light rain or drizzle here and there, maybe as far west as the home counties as we go through into the afternoon. to the west of it, we'll keep temperatures on the high side for this stage in october,

maybe up to around 16—17 degrees. but notice down these eastern coasts of scotland and north—east england, where they're getting on the other side of that weatherfront, more of a northerly wind, temperatures only around 10—13 celsius. whereas by wednesday, these same areas should warm up a little bit because the wind is going to shift direction. we're going to see our area of high pressure drift a bit further southwards. in doing so, atlantic winds will start to dominate, pushing away that weather front back eastwards in towards the north sea. but it'll reactivate across the farther north of scotland. this is where we'll see outbreaks of rain through the night into wednesday morning. and whilst there will be some pockets of chillier conditions on wednesday morning, for many, it won't be quite as chilly as tuesday. so, here's the details for wednesday. that weather front continuing to march away. there could be some light rain or drizzle close to some western parts of scotland, but most of you will have a dry day, varying amounts of cloud, some sunny spells. temperatures drop a little bit in western scotland �*cause of the breeze off the sea, but warm, as i said, down those eastern coasts, and most places still around 2—3 degrees above average. but a big drop in temperature

is on the way to the north of this weather front, which will be pushing in as we go through into thursday, with some strong and gusty winds around it. notice those blue colours pushing southwards. that will be making inroads across scotland on thursday. along with those gusty winds, outbreaks of rain which could be heavy at times too, making it towards northern ireland, maybe to the borders of england late in the day. but much of england and wales will have a dry day, a bright day, still in the milder air with highs around 16 or 17. but as that weather front works its way southwards and eastwards, we'll all get a bit chillier for the end of the week into the weekend. colder still across some parts of eastern scotland, but even further south, we could see temperatures this weekend in the mid—teens. bye for now.

hello, welcome to bbc news.

the headlines: turkish authorities have boosted security on the border with iran and warned that they want and accept —— won't accept an influx of migrants and refugees fleeing the taliban in afghanistan. many afghans have made the perilous journey through our run to turkey, hoping to travel onwards do other european countries. pregnant women as you get the covid vaccine after concerns of the growing number with the virus needing mysterious treatment and critical care. new data shows one in six of the most critically ill in hospital in the uk are pregnant and unvaccinated. the creators of superman announced that his son will come out as bisexual in its next edition. he will share a kiss with a budding journalist, and he is the latest superhero to come out.