it was caught by large mechanical arms on the tower it was launched from. king charles has lead tributes to scotland's former first minister, alex salmond, who died on saturday at the age of 69. it's understood the former msp collapsed after delivering a speech at an international conference in north macedonia. joe biden is in florida, where he's expected to announce more than half a billion dollars to restore power grids damaged by hurricanes helene and milton. more than 3 million homes and businesses are still without power. welcome to the programme. king charles has led tributes to the former scottish first minister — alex salmond — who's died aged 69. the king said mr salmond's "devotion to scotland drove his decades of public service". salmond's succcessor as first minister, nicola sturgeon, said he had

been her mentor and that "for more than a decade we formed one of the most successful partnerships in uk politics". the alba party founder — and former snp leader — is thought to have suffered a heart attack during a trip to north macedonia yesterday. there will be a post—mortem examination. earlier my collague nicky schiller spoke to the first minister of scotland, john swinney — and asked him what he will remember most about alex salmond. he transformed the snp from a party on the fringes of scottish politics to becoming the government of scotland, and then he took our country so incredibly close to scottish independence. i will remember him as a significant figure who transformed our politics and the opportunities for scotland to become an independent country. and at this moment of his untimely death, i express my condolences to his wife and family at this very sad time. what was he like to work with personally?

he was a driven individual. he had a very purposeful agenda that he was pursuing, whether that was about getting us to a position where we had greater electoral success, where we could win elections and we won an election in 2007 for the first time under his leadership, so once we got into government, he was very driven about serving the people of scotland and about advancing the arguments of independence. i certainly remember an individual who was incredibly driven around his politics, and our prospects. also someone who was a significant strategic thinker about how to advance our agenda. he did manage to do that, he took the snp from a small party into government. that's right, over the course of alex salmond's political career, he went into parliament in 1987 when the snp had three members of parliament, and over the course of the next few decades, he led a team

of us who got the snp into government in 2007, and we have been in government ever since. of course, the electoral success that we experienced got us to a position whereby we were able to force the agenda on the constitutional question and we came very close to winning independence in the referendum in 2014. it is undeniable, of course, this has come forward in all of the commentary there has been in the course of the last few hours, a recognition that alex salmond made a significant impact on the politics of scotland, the united kingdom and further afield. because of the effectiveness of the approach that he took. in recent years, he left the snp, set up the alba party and had a rift with his successor as first minister, nicola sturgeon.

all these things have taken place in what i would certainly accept is a difficult few years. there was plenty of time to reflect on all of these issues. at this moment, it is undeniable that alex salmond was a significant figure who transformed the politics of scotland and took our country incredibly close to becoming an independent country. and i think in the aftermath of all of that, generations of people in scotland today who believe in scottish independence, who believe that is the right way forward for our country, and what is important is that those of us who now take forward that argument have got to make sure that we deliver on that objective. and transform the prospects of scotland as an independent country. what will your abiding memory be of alex salmond? i can vividly remember driving

to edinburgh the day after the 2007 election, and hearing alex salmond speaking from edinburgh where he had arrived and essentially said that because we had won the election, scotland had changed and would change forever as a consequence. i remember feeling at that moment all of the years of endeavour that we had all put in had suddenly reached fulfilment because we had the opportunity to shape the future of our country in a way that we had never had before. that is an extraordinary privilege that we are able to build on today. first ministerjohn swinney talking to me earlier on. let's speak to andy collier — a political commentator and former speechwriter to alex salmond. thank you so much for your

time. many people are familiar with alex salmond as a political figure. with alex salmond as a politicalfigure. what with alex salmond as a political figure. what do you remember most about him as a person? remember most about him as a erson? remember most about him as a .erson? _ remember most about him as a erson? . , person? dare i say the lunches. i knew him _ person? dare i say the lunches. i knew him for— person? dare i say the lunches. i knew him for a _ person? dare i say the lunches. i knew him for a long _ person? dare i say the lunches. i knew him for a long time - person? dare i say the lunches. i knew him for a long time as i i knew him for a long time as you said. nearly a0 years, actually. i saw him grow from really not even being an mp to being first minister and taking scotland to the edge of independence. but he was a multifaceted character. intellectually he was very capable. he knew an awful lot. he was a very sociable person. a very kind person in many ways. i know some have said he had a temper, that's not something i ever saw. he challenged you but he loved conversation and he loved talking about politics. i worked for a few years as scottish political editor for

the sun newspaper and we went out for a few long lunches and he loved gossip. hejust said, what's going on out there. i was telling him about other parties and he loved it. he was a curious individual and very multifaceted, as i say. you talk about _ multifaceted, as i say. you talk about his _ multifaceted, as i say. you talk about his intellect - multifaceted, as i say. you talk about his intellect and so many people have said that about how knowledgeable he was. how did that come across? he knew how did that come across? he: knew about everything. i remember even before he went to westminster, when he was only part time, if he could ever be part time, if he could ever be part time, if he could ever be part time in politics, he was working still as an economist at the royal bank of scotland i think it was at the time. i remember i was completely baffled by economics but it became part of myjob and he explained it to me, which is nothing to do with politics at all but he told me, this is how it works, and it was great, it was fabulously useful, and he made me understand it. he knew

were an awful lot about an awful lot. that came across in so many different ways. i suppose in unexpected ways like that. ~ ., ., ., that. would you agree that he left behind — that. would you agree that he left behind quite _ that. would you agree that he left behind quite a _ that. would you agree that he left behind quite a fractured l left behind quite a fractured politics and a fractured legacy? i wonder what you make of how he left things with the snp and how he leaves the independence movement itself. of course his sudden death of course his sudden death means it really is unfinished business. scotland is still very much on a journey there. it isn't in the strong position it was in ten years ago. i don't think there is any point in anybody saying otherwise. the independence movement is fractured. i heard somebody say today there are 21 different organisations are now backing scottish independence, including alex salmond's alba party. in a sense he was kind of responsible for that fracturing of the independence

movement and i think what we need to see now in the aftermath of the terrible events of the last 2a hours is a coming together of those different organisations in some way so they can work together as the yes movement did in the run—up to the referendum in 201a when it was pushing at the door with a single, powerful voice. it needs to get back to that. �* , ., ., that. andy, someone who has known alex — that. andy, someone who has known alex salmond - that. andy, someone who has known alex salmond for - that. andy, someone who has known alex salmond for at. that. andy, someone who has i known alex salmond for at least a0 years, thank you so much for sharing your memories with us. let's turn to the us now and with little more than three weeks to the presidential election, kamala harris has challenged her rival donald trump to release his medical records, to prove he's fit for the job. the vice—president was speaking after the white house published a medical report which said she had "excellent health" and was fit for the presidency. following the releease of the medical records, a harris campaign spokesman said in a social media "your turn donald trump". ms harris accused mr trump — who's 78 years old — and his team, of a lack

of transparency. it's just a further example of his lack of transparency. that on top of his unwillingness to debate again, his unwillingness to do an interview with 60 minutes, which again is part of the norm of what anyone running for president of the united states does. and i think that it's obvious that his team at least does not want the american people to see everything about who he is. donald trump's most detailed records came more than 6 years ago, in 2018. without revealing his health records, mr trump steam quoted his doctor as saying that he was in �*perfect and excellent health to be commander in chief'. if elected in november, donald trump would be the oldest president in us history by the end of his term. the former president has been attending a rally in coachella in california where he criticised kamala harris.

look at this stuff. can you believe what we are doing? she's so bad, she is so bad. it can't happen. although the way things go in this country, i guess it probably could. that's why we want to build up a lead. we have got to build up that lead because such bad things... and we've got to do it and i don't want to keep saying it. too big to rig, i don't want to say it. she's imported an army of illegal alien gang members and migrant criminals from the dungeons of the third world. they come from the dungeons of the third world. let's take a look at the latest national poll tracker. and you can see how close the race for the white house is — with kamala harris ahead in the national polling averages on a8% and donald trump on a6%. meanwhile, former president bill clinton is set to hit the campaign trail, stomping for kamala harris in georgia. now that's a key battleground

state and one thatjoe biden won in 2020, by 13,000 votes. it's also in georgia's fulton county, that alleged election interference led to one of four criminal prosecutions against donald trump let's speak to george chidi, politics reporter at the guardian us who is in georgia. thanks for your time. we have seen president 0bama on the campaign trailfor kemal campaign trail for kemal harris. campaign trailfor kemal harris. now it is bill clinton. which voters will he be trying to appeal to? ray —— kamala harris. to appealto? ray -- kamala harris. , harris. he will be in peach county- — harris. he will be in peach county- it— harris. he will be in peach county- it is— harris. he will be in peach county. it is in _ harris. he will be in peach county. it is in the - harris. he will be in peach county. it is in the black i harris. he will be in peach i county. it is in the black belt in sort of southern georgia. it is almost exactly 50—50 republican democrat because of turnout. the emphasis of the campaign right now isn't about

convincing someone to vote one way or another, it's about getting out the vote you think will support your candidate. that is what they have sent him he had to do. that is what they have sent him he had to de— he had to do. how is kamala harris doing _ he had to do. how is kamala harris doing with _ he had to do. how is kamala harris doing with that - harris doing with that demographic? you said it is about turn but is she poling as well as she would hope to at this point with black residents there? i this point with black residents there? ~ , , ., .,, there? i think she is doing as well as anybody _ there? i think she is doing as well as anybody could. - there? i think she is doing as well as anybody could. i - there? i think she is doing as| well as anybody could. i think her numbers in georgia are close to barack 0bama's or close to barack 0bama's or close enough. there was this emphasis before harris became the nominee. trump was trying to target black voters, particularly black men, and he was doing better than other people had expected. i think that has all been wiped away. i think kamala harris has strong support from the black community in georgia as any candidate has in the last 50 years. candidate has in the last 50 ears. ~ ., ., ,, ~ candidate has in the last 50 ears. ~ . ., “ �* years. what do you think bill clinton's message _ years. what do you think bill clinton's message is - years. what do you think bill clinton's message is going i years. what do you think bill|

clinton's message is going to be in georgia? famously with his own campaign, and what he is known for is how strong he is known for is how strong he is on the economy as an issue, but that is a weakness, seen as a weakness, for the harris campaign, isn't it?- campaign, isn't it? that is changing- _ campaign, isn't it? that is changing. the _ campaign, isn't it? that is changing. the last - campaign, isn't it? that is changing. the last polingl changing. the last poling result i saw showed harris and trump very close in terms of public support for, you know, economic issues. i think part of that, particularly in georgia, is going to be tied to how well this area recovers from the hurricanes. it's not quite fort valley but to the east of that point, crops were blown away, like, a third of the cotton crops gone because of helene. peanuts have gone. this is still a farming state and i think that throws a wrench into any sort of prediction as to how georgia is going to play in november in

the election because i think a lot of people are still digging out from the hurricane and how federal response reacts to that i think is going to determine, to some degree, what happens there. bill to some degree, what happens there. �* ., ~ ,, to some degree, what happens there. �* ., ~ i. there. all right, thank you so much for _ there. all right, thank you so much for all _ there. all right, thank you so much for all of _ there. all right, thank you so much for all of that. - there. all right, thank you so much for all of that. i - there. all right, thank you so much for all of that. i really i much for all of that. i really appreciate your analysis and you talking to us today from georgia. don't forget, we have a special section online with all of the very latest us election news in the run—up to november's vote and it includes the very latest poll tracker which currently shows kamala harris just ahead of donald trump in national polling. remember, this is very tight. it's a tight race. you can find out more on the bbc news website or bbc news app. presidentjoe biden has arrived in florida —— where he'll be meeting communities affected by hurricane milton. there are the pictures we received just a few minutes ago — the president arriving at macdill air force

base, just near tampa. he then went on an aerial tour to witness the devastation. at least 23 people died in the disaster and more than three million homes and businesses were left without power. amid the devastation, the hurricane has caused tensions both politically and on the streets, as our north america correspondent rowan bridge reports. from the air, the damage wrought by milton is clear. across a swathe of the state, homes and lives were turned upside down by one of the worst storms to hit in 100 years. as the clean—up continues, hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses have been left without power, and the death toll has continued to rise. petrol shortages have led to frayed tempers, as people scramble to get what they can. they were fighting — like, fist fighting. one girl hit another girl with a car. it was just crazy. they were really fighting, over gas. you're seeing lines that are about a half mile long

and you are seeing people get very agitated, very upset, over who's cut in line or cut people off. it's one of those things, we're telling people, you know, calm down. given the tensions, refuelling petrol stations has become a priority. it's estimated the storm caused $50 billion of damage as it tore across florida, with communities still underwater in its wake. today, president biden will visit some of the areas affected to see the scale of the devastation for himself. in a statement, the white house said it had declared a major disaster in the state, and said it would provide more funding to help the recovery effort. with less than a month before the presidential election, disaster relief has become political. at his rallies, donald trump has been accused of spreading misinformation about the relief effort. president biden called the comments an "onslaught of lies" about how much support is available, and where disaster money was being spent. for those who found themselves in milton's path,

the political controversy is not their immediate concern. they're still focused on clearing up and trying to put their lives back together. rowan bridge, bbc news, washington. bbc news has found that a flagship programme to rebuild hundreds of old and leaky school buildings in england is behind its target for hiring builders. the latest figures — obtained using a freedom of information request — show that by this summer, contracts had been awarded to construction companies forjust over 12% of the schools identified. the government has admitted it had to hold talks with the logistics firm, dp world, to shore up a billion pound investment in a port in essex, after one of its subsidiaries was criticised by the transport secretary. louise haigh called for a boycott of p80 ferries and criticised its record on workers' rights. the business secretary, jonathan reynolds told laura kuenssberg that her comments did not reflect the government's stance.

we are clear. we do not want this country competing on fire and re—hire. we are changing that. this week we have seen an employment rights bill meaning more security for people in some of the lowest paid work in the country. at the same time as having our investments bring in billions to the country. that is pro business, pro worker, in action. and that is the government's position. the cost of borrowing money to buy a home is "unlikely" to return to the low levels seen over the past decade, the boss of the uk's largest mortgage lender has said. but charlie nunn, chief executive of lloyds bank, said the bank did expect mortgage rates to come down. in terms of the cost of mortgages, we've seen them come down relative to the highs of last year which were difficult for people. we think they will continue to get down but getting back to the level we saw last decade where interest rates were down a zero i think is unlikely. a new charity calendar featuring 12 survivors of breast cancer has been

launched in a bid to raise funds for more research into the disease. each of the women involved in the campaign are at a different stage in their cancerjourney but say they have found the experience empowering. 0ur reporter chrissie reidy has been to meet them. women of all ages from all walks of life who all had breast cancer. being photographed for the calendar has not only been a chance for them to feel confident about their body again but to support other women on the breast cancer journey. women on the breast cancer “ourne . ~ ., ., women on the breast cancer “ourne . ~ . ., ., journey. we all want to look aood journey. we all want to look good and — journey. we all want to look good and feel— journey. we all want to look good and feel good - journey. we all want to look good and feel good about i good and feel good about ourselves which hasn't always been the case because of what we have all been through. i wanted to get that message out there _ wanted to get that message out there that there is life after cancer_ there that there is life after cancer during treatment, everything, you know, so to have — everything, you know, so to have the _ everything, you know, so to have the opportunity to share the images in the calendar was what _ the images in the calendar was what drove me, i think, the images in the calendar was what drove me, ithink, to actually— what drove me, ithink, to actually go, yeah, let's do this — actually go, yeah, let's do this. ,, ., ., actually go, yeah, let's do this, ,, ., ., ., , actually go, yeah, let's do this. ,, ., ., ., ., this. sharon was diagnosed two ears this. sharon was diagnosed two years ago- _ this. sharon was diagnosed two years ago- my _ this. sharon was diagnosed two years ago- my way _ this. sharon was diagnosed two years ago. my way of _ this. sharon was diagnosed two years ago. my way of dealing i years ago. my way of dealing with it was — years ago. my way of dealing with it was to _ years ago. my way of dealing

with it was to put _ years ago. my way of dealing with it was to put it - years ago. my way of dealing with it was to put it in - years ago. my way of dealing with it was to put it in a - years ago. my way of dealing with it was to put it in a box | with it was to put it in a box and google it late at night and then i was introduced to breast cancer uk. i met a lady there and what i found out is the support groups are invaluable. everyone is at a different stage in their recovery. mi; stage in their recovery. my “ourne stage in their recovery. my journey was. _ stage in their recovery. my journey was. i _ stage in their recovery. ij�*i journey was, i had stage in their recovery. ii journey was, i had an operation, a mastectomy in may, then the few to shoot was june, july, so i pushed myself, i wanted to feel more feminine. —— then the photo shoot. like -- then the photo shoot. like in the movie, _ -- then the photo shoot. like in the movie, the _ -- then the photo shoot. like in the movie, the idea - -- then the photo shoot. like in the movie, the idea of- —— then the photo shoot. like in the movie, the idea of being photographed was nerve—racking. even the day before i wanted to bail. i thought, even the day before i wanted to bail. ithought, i can't even the day before i wanted to bail. i thought, i can't do this, because in the calendar i have my mastectomy scar out. i am proud of myself for not bailing. i am proud of myself for not bailina. . , am proud of myself for not bailina. .,,, , , am proud of myself for not bailin. , , , ., bailing. i was surprised about how much — bailing. i was surprised about how much emotional - bailing. i was surprised about how much emotional healing | bailing. i was surprised about - how much emotional healing went on. everyone had such a good time — on. everyone had such a good time and _ on. everyone had such a good time and that is kind of what i wanted~ — time and that is kind of what i wanted. breast cancer takes

away — wanted. breast cancer takes away some femininity and i wanted _ away some femininity and i wanted to give that back to them _ wanted to give that back to them. .. , wanted to give that back to them. , ., .., ., them. sales of the calendar will fund — them. sales of the calendar will fund breast _ them. sales of the calendar will fund breast cancer- will fund breast cancer research.— will fund breast cancer research. , ., ., research. up and down the country we _ research. up and down the country we are _ research. up and down the country we are trying - research. up and down the country we are trying to i research. up and down the i country we are trying to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. that is important because we know early detection improves peoples outcomes. every picture tells a story _ peoples outcomes. every picture tells a story and _ peoples outcomes. every picture tells a story and shows - peoples outcomes. every picture tells a story and shows the - tells a story and shows the invaluable support of friends and loved ones. a genetic study of the remains of the explorer christopher columbus strongly suggests that he wasjewish. the finding is based on more than twenty years of research by spanish scientists. he's likely to have been born in western europe, possibly in the spanish city of valencia. it's thought colombus — whose voyages began the spanish conquests in the americas — concealed hisjewish ethnicity, or converted to catholicism to escape religious persecution. practising jews were expelled from spain in 1a92 — the same year columbus landed in the americas. bands and singers are playing half as many gigs

in the uk — on an average tour — as they did in the 1990s. the music venue trust says a typical tour used to have 22 gigs, while now there's often just 11. chi chi izundu reports. making the news this year has been the huge artists and their huge tours and whilst they are being credited on bringing billions to the uk economy bands flocking to see names at larger venues may be neglecting local venues and grassroots musicians. this pub once upon a time used to be a music venue which played host to some of the biggest names in rock music. queen, the rolling stones, it was on the list for oasis's first tore 30 years ago. but according to the music venue trust, 23 of the 3a venues who took a punt on away sis has since closed down. it has found that back in the 90s

on an average tore an artist would perform 22 dates. that has now dropped down to 11. i know for a fact it'll be much harderfor me to know for a fact it'll be much harder for me to fiscally afford the touring i would like to do and there is no way i would be able to keep up with the historic touring circuit i had the benefit of at the very start of my career. the had the benefit of at the very start of my career.— start of my career. the trust now wants _ start of my career. the trust now wants a _ start of my career. the trust now wants a £1 _ start of my career. the trust now wants a £1 levy - start of my career. the trust now wants a £1 levy on - start of my career. the trust now wants a £1 levy on all i now wants a £1 levy on all arena and stadium concerts to help grassroots venues and artists thrive.— artists thrive. the biggest sin . le artists thrive. the biggest single thing _ artists thrive. the biggest single thing the _ artists thrive. the biggest i single thing the government could do to help others make those shows more viable is to reduce the 20% rate on vat we have on tickets in the uk and that reduction would put more liquidity into the sector, it would keep venues open, it would keep venues open, it would make more shows in moortown is more viable and stop us from following a path where, actually, the only way to guarantee you have a profitable tour is to restrict

yourself to the major cities. last week the culture secretary said music venues were absolutely the top of her agenda. —— in more towns more viable. the industry should hear from the government within the next month, she said. now, the next month, she said. now, the weather. a lot of dry weather to close out this weekend. we started the morning with early sunshine in eastern areas but the cloud is thickening all the time from the west and you can see these weather fronts arriving into the south—west of england overnight tonight. with all of the cloud around it'll feel chilly for the state in october, seven to 11 celsius 0ctober, seven to 11 celsius our afternoon high. through the evening that rain arrives, some of it heavy, the odd rumble of thunder across the south—western into wales which will dry its way steadily eastwards. we keep clear skies further north, particularly eastern scotland. here, low single figures perhaps to start

monday morning. monday will start grey and wet for the early birds. that drift away quickly. a lot of cloud left behind. northern england and northern ireland and scotland seeing the bulk of the sunshine. showery rain in the north—west drifting to the northern isles but generally temperatures around ten to 1a celsius. milder conditions are starting to show their hand in the south—west. it is this mild air which will start to arrive and push its way steadily northwards. the change of wind direction is going to bring a change to the feel of the weather, particularly through the middle part of the week. tuesday, a lot of cloud, sharper showers developing from the south—west, slowly drifting their way steadily north. a rather grey day. we get some time breaking through later on. temperatures may peak around 17 celsius but it is wednesday that will really start to see the wind strengthened further. still from the south, very mild

sauce, but the wet weather potentially threatening during the day on wednesday. the detail is subject to change, you will need to watch the forecast for that, but the heaviest of the rain is likely to move steadily north and across west facing coasts. sheltered eastern areas may see sunshine and if that happens we could see temperatures as high as 21 celsius, above the average for this time of year. temperatures will come down a touch and we keep outbreaks of rain thursday into friday. 0n the whole, this milder but more unsettled theme is likely to continue as we go through the rest of the week.

live from london. this is bbc news. spacex achieves a successful fifth launch — and return of its starship rocket. the latest from the middle east now — i'm anna foster in beirut. un peacekeepers have demanded an explanation from israel, after it said israeli tanks had forcibly entered a un

position in lebanon. i'm lyse doucet injerusalem. reports of the latest incident come as benjamin netanyahu demands the un pull peacekeepers out of areas of lebanon where israel is fighting hezbollah. the king leads tributes to scotland's former first minister, alex salmond, who's died at 69. police in mumbai are investigating the motives behind the murder of the former state minister, baba siddique. hello, i'm azadeh moshiri. welcome to the programme. we start with a big milestone for spacex. elon musk�*s company spacex has succeeded in its ambition to catch the booster system which launches its starship rocket, safely landing the device as it dropped to earth after a test flight in texas. don't worry, we will explain why that's such an important moment, but first let's go to that spectacular moment.

the feat means it will be easier to reuse the launch