hello, i'm lucy hockings. vladimir putin has issued a stark warning to the west — after reports that the us and countries in europe may soon lift restrictions on ukraine's use of long—range missiles into russia. on thursday, prime minister keir starmer said that russia started the war in ukraine and also has the power to end the conflict straight away. sir keir is here in washington for talks with president biden on friday. it's expected they'll discuss whether or not to grant ukraine permission to fire their missiles at targets inside russia. speaking to russian state television — president putin discussed the potential consequences if the west does lift those restrictions. translation: if this decision is made, it will mean nothingl other than direct participation of nato countries, the united states, european countries, in the war in ukraine. it is their direct participation and this of course significantly changes the very essence of the conflict. this will mean that nato

countries, are at war with russia. russia editor steve rosenberg has more on putin's warning to the west. a clear warning to the west — do not do this, do not allow ukraine to use your missiles to strike russian territory. what we didn't hear from vladimir putin was what russia's going to do if this actually happens. he talked about taking appropriate decisions but without any detail. now, what might those decisions be? well, in the past, president putin has proposed providing advanced long—range weapons to western adversaries, to strike western targets abroad. he's also suggested in the past deploying conventional missiles within striking distance of america and its european allies. now, russian officials many times have accused the west of fighting russia, waging war against russia, on the territory of ukraine. putin made it clear today that if this goes ahead,

if western missiles are used to target russian territory, this will take things to a whole new level. so, in a sense, western leaders will have to decide which is greater — the risk of escalation or the need to help ukraine and allow ukraine to strike russian territory with these missiles. that report from steve rosenberg, who is currently in moscow. last hour we showed a report by steve rosenberg that referred to events from last month. as russian troops continue to push back against ukrainian forces in kursk — the international committee of the red cross says it's outraged by the killing of three of its workers in an air strike in eastern ukraine. our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse is following reaction from kyiv. attacks like this, or for humanitarian vehicles being struck in this way is rare. a couple of months ago we saw a vehicle belonging to the international food kitchen getting hipt but this is certainly looking like a severe situation. two people have been injured,

three killed as you say. a team from the international red cross, were giving coal and fire to a village that is close to the front line and when you are within ten, 20 kilometres there's always a looming threat of either drone or missile attacks or artillery strikes. it is a reminder of the risks. we have spoken to the icrc who say they are heartbroken, we have a statement here from its president. she says "i condemn attacks on personnel in the strongest "possible terms, it is unconscionable that shelling "should hit an aid distribution site. "our hearts are broken." this is all too familiar to those who lost loved ones in the conflict. the kremlin have not reported inside russian state tv but it is a bleak day for those teams that continue to work in the conflict zone.

sir keir starmer is in washington right now meeting joe biden in the morning and flying in with him is our political editor chris mason who is straight from the airport to us, i'm pleased to say. tell me what he said on that flight about the current conflict between ukraine and russia? ~ . . ., . conflict between ukraine and russia? ., . ., ., ~ russia? with a chance to talk to the prime _ russia? with a chance to talk to the prime minister- russia? with a chance to talk to the prime minister in - russia? with a chance to talk. to the prime minister in what's called a hoddle or bobby call a hoddle were all the reporters on the plane crowd around the prime minister and ask questions. we don't recorded on camera because it's too noisy but we can put what the prime minister said. but we can put what the prime ministersaid. key amongst but we can put what the prime minister said. key amongst the questions we put to him were seeking his reaction to the remarks from vladimir putin and i was struck for someone who has only been in office for a few months how defiant he was in insisting in response to what vladimir putin said that he started it, russia started the conflict, russia could end the conflict, russia could end

the conflict, russia could end the conflict and that ukraine had a right to self defence. whether language became much more guided and this is consistent with what we heard in washington and amongst the capital's western allies is a diet of language around the proposed use of his storm shadow missiles into russian territory. there seems to be a move in that direction but there's been long—standing nervousness about it being provocative, we can clearly see how it has provoked vladimir putin but how might he actually respond were there to be used. it would appear that we are edging towards a decision being taken to allow kyiv as they want to to use the missiles into russia. figs want to to use the missiles into russia.— want to to use the missiles into russia. �* , ,, ., into russia. as keir starmer as well as the _ into russia. as keir starmer as well as the foreign _ into russia. as keir starmer as well as the foreign minister . well as the foreign minister david lammy using iran on back about supplying weapons to russia as a justification and other building up a case? the? other building up a case? they

are building — other building up a case? they are building up _ other building up a case? they are building up a _ other building up a case? they are building up a case - other building up a case? tie: are building up a case and other building up a case? tte: are building up a case and a public case because we have discovered in the last few days courtesy of western countries starting to publish intelligence about iran supplying ukraine with weapons. it is part of the case for those making the case that ukraine needs more help in offending itself. that sense that ukraine has a hand behind its back in that it is not able to hit the very spot from which missiles and other weapons are coming from russia into ukraine. coming from russia into ukraine-— coming from russia into ukraine. �*, . . ., ., ukraine. it's a calculation that sir keir— ukraine. it's a calculation that sir keir starmer- ukraine. it's a calculation that sir keir starmer is i ukraine. it's a calculation - that sir keir starmer is making along withjoe biden if they agree to this because they are essentially saying that they think vladimir putin is bluffing when he makes these threats because there have been redlines before that have been crossed and he hasn't made good on some threats that he has made but there is a pretty big calculation. it made but there is a pretty big calculation-— calculation. it is a huge calculation. _ calculation. it is a huge calculation. yes - calculation. it is a huge calculation. yes they i calculation. it is a huge. calculation. yes they can calculation. it is a huge - calculation. yes they can point to other redlines that vladimir putin has not crossed but vladimir putin is saying explicitly on camera that in

his view the difference here compared with a western tank that may have crossed the border into russia, he is making an argument saying that this is notjust handing the missiles to ukraine and ukraine choosing how to use them. they require western technology and expertise for the deployment and so the case is made by moscow but that is a direct intervention into the conflict by nato countries. therefore so goes the argument during those countries into the direct conflict with moscow. little wonder perhaps this is not happen so far because of the concerns of escalation. it is a big, big strategic moment. good to have you _ big, big strategic moment. good to have you with _ big, big strategic moment. good to have you with us _ big, big strategic moment. good to have you with us briefly - big, big strategic moment. good to have you with us briefly but nonetheless here with us in washington, thank you very much. another thing that they will be discussing is happening in the middle east. the first round of a un campaign to vaccinate children in gaza against polio has ended. the world health organization says it's confident it has

reached its target of 90% of children under 10 years old. carried out in three stages, the operation was aimed at preventing a potential polio outbreak. the un launched the health campaign after a io—month—old baby was diagnosed with the first case of polio virus seen in gaza in more than 25 years. but people in gaza are still facing daily attack by israeli forces. israel's military released a list of 18 people killed in an airstrike on a school sheltering displaced palestinians in central gaza on wednesday. it says that half of those killed were members of hamas' military wing. while the bbc has not been able to verify the list, the un disputes that claim. hamas denies using civilian sites for its military operations. six aid workers for unrwa were also included in those casualties. the un chief condemned the attack calling it a dramatic violation of international humanitarian law. hani almadhoun is the director of philanthropy at unrwa. he shared his insights on the un's polio campaign and the recent strike in nuseirat.

let's start with the campaign to vaccinate kids against polio. it's a big campaign. the first stage over and successful, this has all happened while there is a war going on. what else are kids in gaza facing at the moment? this is a great achievement that vaccination is making progress that is needed, especially the most critical of complicated phases, the kids in the north comment is about 200,000 kids in gaza but need a vaccine. the campaign started two days ago and we have been structured with the attack on the unrwa school. as addition to food and medical care, it's not kust polio, its other diseases that you see. we see everyday every day in north dies and the south, overcrowded and lack of hygiene and unsanitary conditions. it creates a lot of issues for kids, the largely mandatory and active works in partnership

with the world health organization and unicef. we feel that the vaccination campaign is going better than anticipated. 640,000 children in gaza are on the way to be vaccinated and i believe now we have reached 450,000, there 200,000 left in north gaza. we have seen six more unrwa workers killed in the strike and the head of unrwa told the bbc he believes un facilities are being deliberately targeted by israel. i want to play you the response and interview we did a short time ago with israel's economy minister to that allegation. what we want to do is go after the terrorists. the challenge we have is the terrorists are hiding underneath civilians. they put all of their terror infrastructure as part of civilian infrastructure. in schools, mosques, houses, hospitals. they will not get away. we'll do everything we can do not hurt innocent people, no other army in the world

is doing everything we can not to hurt civilians. this is an allegation we hear all the time from the idf and israel that hamas militants are hiding among the civilian population. what does unrwa say about the allegations? just because israel says it doesn't make it true. they would like to make those allegations and it is always about evidence. unrwa pushes back whenever those allegations like this, this is serious as you know otherwise part of the conflict is a humanitarian organisation and they continue to be targeted. 70% of infrastructure by unrwa has been targeted. these colleagues of unrwa i worked with, these colleagues don't deserve to die and some of them are teachers, educators running the shelter. unrwa disputes the allegations like we disputed in april and january and we still do that. even prior to this the vaccination we talked about they stopped a convoy for eight hours asking people and harassing. it was a campaign against

unrwa, everyone in the system understands that israelis have an issue against unrwa and is the largest actors, it is effectively the palestinian class, or those doctors and engineers and teachers work for unrwa, it's a large body and if there's any regularities unrwa has been transparent and adjust those and are now starting investigations. israel continues to make this and it is not because they say it doesn't have to be true. we work hard to make sure and recall all parties to remain away from these infrastructure and the question is 12,000 people are sheltering in that school. they shouldn't be sheltering that school in first place, as israel destroyed their homes and ask them to shelter there and now they bomb it. it's not the first time they bomb the school, this is a strike number five. it was too as strikes, not one. i want the kids to survive, a few kids were killed in this as strike in addition

to the star. you will know that the allegation that israel is deliberately imputing unrwa is denied by the government and the idea. i want to quickly ask you family, friends, colleagues in gaza, do they have any faith in international diplomacy coming up with a ceasefire? unfortunately no, if we talk about the vaccine right we are not getting that, families are still starved in north gaza. they are under strikes and bombardment and it is unfortunate we have given up, we are waiting for this to play out and nobody is answering the call for a ceasefire. every day is a never—ending nightmare. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. scotland's only oil refinery will close next year, with the loss of 400 jobs. petroineos, the owners of the grangemouth plant, says the site will be transformed into an import terminal. the unite union called the closure an act of industrial vandalism.

petroineos says the refinery was unable to compete with sites in asia, africa and the middle east. the government says a ban onjunk food adverts being shown on television before 9pm will come into force in october 2025 — as part of an effort to improve public health. online adverts for products that are high in fat, salt and sugar will be banned altogether. the bearskin caps worn by soldiers outside buckingham palace now cost more than £2,000 each, figures from the ministry of defence show. the cost of the caps soared by 30% over a year, according to figures released after a freedom of information request from people for the ethical treatment of animals. the animal welfare group calls it a financial as well as an ethical issue the mod said it's open to exploring faux fur. you're live with bbc news. in what donald trump's legal team is treating as a victory — a judge in georgia dismissed two criminal charges against the former president,

for alleged attempts to interfere in the state's 2020 election. the remaining eight charges in the case will still move forward. separately — the republican presidential nominee on thursday ruled outjoining another presidential debate with his democratic rival kamala harris. that's after the vice president told supporters in north carolina she was up for a rematch. two nights ago donald trump and i had ourfirst debate. cheering and i believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate! cheering but later in the day, mr trump said two debates — first with presidentjoe biden and then, after he dropped out of the race, tuesday's debate ms harris — were more than enough. when a prizefighter loses a fight, you've seen a lot of fighters. the first words out of that fighter�*s mouth is, "i want a rematch!" and that is what she said,

"i want a rematch!" polls clearly show i won the debate against kamala harris. because we have done two debates and they were successful, there will be no third debate. vice president harris has marginally extended her slim lead over donald trump nationally since the debate. she currently leads 47% to 42% among registered voters — that's according to the latest reuters—ipsos poll. however in swing states, which are most crucial in deciding the election — polling shows the two nominees are neck and neck. pennsylvania is one of those hotly—contested states — and it was of course the site of this week's presidential debate. welcome to doylestown. it's an historic and wealthy small town. in the spotlight in a big collection. in this

battleground state, politics are never far battleground state, politics are neverfarfrom battleground state, politics are never far from the surface. too big, too small orjust right? too big, too small or 'ust riuht? . ., ,., right? including forjames and tra . right? including forjames and tracy- you _ right? including forjames and tracy. you run _ right? including forjames and tracy. you run this _ right? including forjames and tracy. you run this candy - right? including forjames and l tracy. you run this candy shop. kamala harris is the obvious smart candidate. i don't even like saying the other guys name, who is a convicted melon. how was he even allowed to be on the ticket?— on the ticket? and in the afternoon _ on the ticket? and in the afternoon after - on the ticket? and in the afternoon after school i on the ticket? and in the i afternoon after school sugar rush, tracy tells us she believes there's only one choice in the election. we obtained _ choice in the election. we obtained certain - choice in the election. - obtained certain rights over the years and i believe that they are slowly being taken away with things like the overturning of roe v wade. i believe the trumpet side of things is trying to pull us backwards. figs things is trying to pull us backwards.— things is trying to pull us backwards. as the election remains — backwards. as the election remains on _ backwards. as the election remains on a _ backwards. as the election remains on a knife's - backwards. as the election remains on a knife's edge, j backwards. as the election i remains on a knife's edge, all eyes are beyond the critical swing state of pennsylvania and counties just like this one.

voted forjoe biden in 2020 and it has a republican member of congress. we spoke to residents who tell us they want to see a change in november. just ten minutes down the road, scott, who has run a pest control business for 35 years has a very different picture of what is at stake in the election. that said, the most recent one if you want to see my trump shrine i might be one of the few business owners who has a picture of the president. bugs, ava and have him talking to you. ava and have him talking to ou. ., ., ~ you. together, we will make america great _ you. together, we will make america great again! - you. together, we will make america great again! or - you. together, we will make i america great again! or prices are u - , america great again! or prices are up, gasoline _ america great again! or prices are up, gasoline is— america great again! or prices are up, gasoline is up, - america great again! or prices are up, gasoline is up, the - are up, gasoline is up, the taxes are never ending. i get audited constantly. my fear is if kamala harris becomes president it will be the final flush in the toilet. with donald trump as president i knew he knew business, i knew he knew how to cut the fat and the west. fist

he knew how to cut the fat and the west-— the west. at this family diner and institution _ the west. at this family diner and institution in _ the west. at this family diner and institution in the - and institution in the neighbourhood, the cost of living and the election on the lines of regulars. i living and the election on the lines of regulars.— lines of regulars. i think that it needs to — lines of regulars. i think that it needs to be _ lines of regulars. i think that it needs to be easier- lines of regulars. i think that it needs to be easier for - it needs to be easier for people to pay their rent, it needs to be easier for people to buy groceries and to get an education and it needs to be easier to get healthcare. i didn't hear answers to any of those four questions. i think the policy answers are not being given by either candidate. aha, being given by either candidate. �* . candidate. a reminder that the county and _ candidate. a reminder that the county and the _ candidate. a reminder that the county and the state _ candidate. a reminder that the county and the state will - candidate. a reminder that the county and the state will be i county and the state will be fought one vote at a time. the nigerian military and emergency workers are using boats to rescue people trapped in areas hit by flooding in the north—east of the country. thousands of homes were swept away in borno state when a dam overflowed. a bbc reporter in the city of maiduguri has seen dead bodies floating in the floodwaters. officials say more than four hundred thousand people have been displaced in the city with many of those people already fleeing their homes in other parts of the state as a result of the islamist insurgency in north—east nigeria.

azeezat olaoluwa has this report from maidugurif. it's been three days since maiduguri got flooded due to the bursting of the dam. i've bent to at least four communities down the road where hundreds of people are trapped. they feel helpless, frustrated and hungry. because they are forced to sleep outside on the streets. i saw two dead bodies floating on the floodwater. authorities are worried that they could be a outbreak of waterborne diseases after the waters received. such a rescue is still ongoing but displaced people in the settlement can sweep into are complaining that they do not have enough food to eat and the necessary supplies. azeezat olaoluwa, bbc news, maiduguri. the head of us forces in africa, general michael langley, has told the bbc that the us military will only cooperate with countries in the sahel region once they return to democracy. american and other western forces have in recent weeks withdrawn from burkina faso,

mali, chad, and niger — as the leaders of those turn to russian support for theirfight against violent islamist forces. general langley blames russian disinformation for the souring of relations between the us and countries in the sahel. he spoke to our senior africa correspondent, anne soy, in nairobi. she asked him how the us military is redefining its relationship with the region. we define that, they have to have the core values of democratic norms. and respect for human rights, all the things that are core values that are within a responsible governance for the people of civil society. protections of rights and freedoms.- civil society. protections of rights and freedoms. you say ou are rights and freedoms. you say you are reading _ rights and freedoms. you say you are reading getting i rights and freedoms. you say you are reading getting with. you are reading getting with the countries in the sahel are premised on the democracies, is that what you are saying? we are still that what you are saying? - are still engaged but in a deeper maddick than right now

as far as how much we can do because there's a number of restrictions and sanctions with limits what we can do for security cooperation. what ou're security cooperation. what you're saying _ security cooperation. what you're saying generally i security cooperation. what you're saying generally it | security cooperation. what| you're saying generally it is you're saying generally it is you cannot exist side—by—side with some of these new partners of those countries you've chosen?— of those countries you've chosen? ., ._ , ., chosen? there are ways that we can still engage _ chosen? there are ways that we can still engage with _ chosen? there are ways that we can still engage with that - can still engage with that country itself but we will not have side—by—side operations with them because they don't have the same values that we will have. the conflict is just some of the things that watch groups are saying from when it was bad about injury violation of. was bad about in'ury violation of. ~ , ., was bad about in'ury violation of. ~ i. ., ., ~' was bad about in'ury violation of. ~ i. ., of. when you look at niger there were _ of. when you look at niger there were huge _ of. when you look at niger i there were huge investments of “p there were huge investments of up to close to 100 million us dollars. it's a major loss isn't it? dollars. it's a ma'or loss isn-t mi dollars. it's a ma'or loss isn't it? ., ., , ,, . isn't it? from our perspective, one is a posture _ isn't it? from our perspective, one is a posture across - isn't it? from our perspective, one is a posture across west l one is a posture across west africa. you have a growing bile

and extremist organisation threat. it's metastasised across these countries that have an effect in these areas. we look at it holistically that we are still going to engage with west africa with like—minded countries of some of the coastal west african countries to be able to defeat and defend and help these countries defeat terrorism, not just terrorism but the transactional crime organisations that are destabilising as well — my transnational. destabilising as well - my transnational.— transnational. what your assessment _ transnational. what your assessment of _ transnational. what your assessment of the i transnational. what your i assessment of the compass transnational. what your - assessment of the compass must of your forces when they were in the sahel region dealing with extremism? in in the sahel region dealing with extremism?— in the sahel region dealing with extremism? :: ::j~ , with extremism? in 2008 across the sahel on _ with extremism? in 2008 across the sahel on the _ with extremism? in 2008 across the sahel on the african - the sahel on the african continent, bile and extremist organisations were of a global percentage —— violence and extremist organisations. these

countries that don't have the security constructed defeated, russian disinformation gave them the scapegoat and said it was the west. it was france, it was the west. it was france, it was the west. it was france, it was the united states, that resonated with these populations. you see russian flags being waived, you go across the internet or social media, disinformation campaigns are very compelling. they are very convincing and influencing this operation. let's turn to some other important news around the world. manhattan prosecutors announced on thurday that disgraced hollywood producer harvey weinstein is indicted on additional sex crimes charges. the associated press reported that prosecutors began presenting evidence to a grand jury last week that included up to three additional allegations against weinstein. weinstein's lawyers responded saying they will defend whatever comes their way. the indictment, which lists the full charges, will remain under seal until weinstein's arraignment on wednesday.

the european central bank — which sets policy for the 20 nations in the eurozone — cut its main interest rate on thursday by a quarter of a percentage point — to 3.5%. like other central banks, the ecb increased rates to try and tame soaring prices. but with inflation now close to the bank's 2% target, the cut was widely expected. good to happy with us on bbc news, stay with us. hello, a cold friday morning. it is going to feel fresh when you step out of the front door. in fact, a touch of frost possible almost anywhere in the uk, certainly a ground frost and even an air frost in some areas. from the motion of the cloud, you get a sense of where the air has come from, all the way from the arctic, and spread across many parts of western and even central europe. but high pressure is now building across the uk,

which means light winds and lots of sunshine from the word go, and of course clear skies through the early hours, just one or two showers maybe clipping eastern and western coasts. these are the city centre temperatures, three degrees in birmingham, you go out of town it will be three degrees lower than that, so air frost in some areas and as low as —1 or —2 in northern england and scotland away from city centres. lots of sunshine from the word go, cloud bubbling up a bit into the afternoon, scattered fairweather cumulus cloud, highs of 15 degrees typically. later in the day, it looks as though it will turn hazy in northern ireland and scotland, and that takes us into saturday. a weather front brushing the northwest of the uk, the possibility of some rain later on, but the further east and south you are, the brighter it will be. and really sunny on the channel coast, east anglia and into lincolnshire. most of the north sea

coast as well. the winds will change direction, by saturday they will come in from the southwest. through sunday, the milder air will have established itself across the uk, so temperatures once again start to nudge up to about 20 or so. some of us will pay for it, in the south—westerlies we often get weather fronts so there will be a few showers on sunday, but not everywhere, and certainly some sunny spells. 18 in belfast once again, 17 in aberdeen. to the east of the pennines, not far off 20 celsius. high pressure expected to build across the uk on monday, which means light winds, prolonged spells of sunshine, which are expected to last for the days ahead. monday, tuesday, wednesday across the bulk of the uk, bright and fairly warm. bye— bye.

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.

this week: should we go for a ride? i think we should. alasdair keane strapped into a truck with a difference. but how hard is it to power a drug by battery? you can start with lots of robots. it is quite mesmerising to watch. love a robot. i know you do. plus from ten wheels to two, but how about a scooter powered by gas? we have also been overrun by rats this week, but a! has a solution in its sites. and there is something weird lurking in the water. those are my toes you are talking about, and they were freezing. if you leave them in there long enough, you will real story here is we are exploring the depths by robots.

the world of transport wants to go electric,