in the all—important seven swing states. good morning. we start with that developing news from argentina, that liam payne, the former one direction singer, has died at the age of 31. local police say the british musician's body was found outside a hotel. the authorities there have confirmed he died after falling from the building's third floor. born in the uk, liam payne rose to global stardom with band members harry styles, niall horan, zayn malik and louis tomlinson as part of the teenage band sensation one direction. many fans were gathered outside the hotel doors for hours in buenos aires, before hosting a vigil outside, laying tributes

to the musician. here's the reaction of a fan outside the hotel earlier. |translation: i was in my livingi room and my sister told me liam died, we couldn't believe it, we came here directly to confirm it was true. he was 30 years old, with a seven—year—old son. i saw him two weeks ago at a niall concert. he was there, i saw him, he was ok. with me is our news correspondent azadeh moshiri, who's been following the story. just to start with, what more can you tell us about what happened?— can you tell us about what happened? can you tell us about what hauened? ~ ., happened? well, according to the police. — happened? well, according to the police, statements - happened? well, according to the police, statements have l the police, statements have been coming into the night, details trickling in. they said he fell from the third floor of his hotel in buenos aires in argentina, the hotel in an upmarket neighbourhood called palermo. that's why so many fans have been gathering there.

we have seen vigils and fans lighting candles. because of the fact liam payne and one direction had such a huge impact on the industry, they have legions of fans. the police have also provided some additional statements. police have also provided some additionalstatements. i'm going to read them to you, to be really precise about this, because they are talking about the emergency call they received. they said they were dispatched after that call in which they were informed of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol. when they arrived, the officer in charge said he heard a loud sound in the inner courtyard of the hotel. we also heard from the head of the emergency services that when they arrived, the injuries were so serious that, in their words, resuscitation was not possible. we do also know that liam payne had been in argentina to see his former band—mate niall horan�*s own concert a fortnight ago. again, this is going to be really difficult news for all their

fans as well as the industry as a whole. fans as well as the industry as awhole. ~ , ., a whole. absolutely, and with that, remind _ a whole. absolutely, and with that, remind us— a whole. absolutely, and with that, remind us how- a whole. absolutely, and with that, remind us how huge - a whole. absolutely, and with | that, remind us how huge one direction was. for us in the uk, we know them so well as winners of the x factor, rocketing to stardom quickly. but globally they are huge. they have had a huge impact globally, and this all started so young for them. liam was only 1a when he auditioned on the x factor. he came back when he was two years older, at 16, and that is when one direction was formed. they actually came in third, and yet they are arguably the biggest success and legacy to come out of that talent competition. if you look at the figures, they have had four uk number one albums, 17 million records sold, concerts and stadium tours are sold out around the world. that all ended six years later in 2016, want they took an indefinite

hiatus, and liam who is also a songwriter, he had song credits on many one direction songs, then also pursued a music career. but with fame comes a lot of difficulty, and he was very open about the impact on his mental health and transparent about the effect he dealt with addiction issues. he said that to his fans. either way, a very difficult moment, given the impact he had and the songs he put out there. tell given the impact he had and the songs he put out there.- songs he put out there. tell us about the _ songs he put out there. tell us about the tributes _ songs he put out there. tell us about the tributes pouring - songs he put out there. tell us about the tributes pouring in. i about the tributes pouring in. tributes from other people who have gone through the x factor, jedward, and dermot o'leary the presenter. the family he leaves behind. he did have a child with cheryl a very popular singer in the uk who was also a judge on the x factor. he is leaving behind a son named

bear. also a tribute that came in from a band member of a rival boy band group, the wanted. max george said liam was an unbelievably supportive person during one of the most difficult times in my life, i would neverforget difficult times in my life, i would never forget that. difficult times in my life, i would neverforget that. the wanted had one of their own band members tom parker who died from terminal cancer in 2022, and liam payne was very supportive of max george at that time. many people will be waking up to this news and it's going to be difficult.— going to be difficult. thank ou so going to be difficult. thank you so much _ going to be difficult. thank you so much for— going to be difficult. thank you so much for bringing i going to be difficult. thank| you so much for bringing us going to be difficult. thank- you so much for bringing us the latest. let's speak to entertainment journalistjoshua rom. you met liam several times, talk us through your feelings following this news.- following this news. good morning. _ following this news. good morning, sally. _ following this news. good morning, sally. it - following this news. good morning, sally. it was - following this news. good| morning, sally. it was one following this news. good i morning, sally. it was one of those times where i was almost in disbelief when i first heard the news. like many people, i

thought surely it can't be real, and then i checked the news sources and news agencies. tmz were reporting it so i said, oh, this is very serious now. that's the thing, it's one of those situations where, 31 years old, it's such a young age. the one word to describe this is tragic. this clearly is a tragic incident. we are hearing the reports from buenos aires about potential drug or alcohol usage. we know he had his issues throughout his life. we know in 2022, he went to rehab for 100 days. he was very transparent about his issues. it's just sad news all around. that's the thing, when i met liam payne, the word transparent is a very good word to describe him. he was very

humble. ifirst spoke to describe him. he was very humble. i first spoke to him backin humble. i first spoke to him back in 2017, just after cheryl gave birth to bear, and i asked how is baby bear, what is it like watching him grow? bless him, he was a gushing dad. it was very clear, he had so much love for his family, gushing over cheryl and this was in the early stages as well of their solo careers. they had not long gone on this hiatus. we didn't know at that point that it would be an indefinite hiatus. i asked him, would be an indefinite hiatus. iasked him, you would be an indefinite hiatus. i asked him, you guys, you are launching solo careers, do you feel like you are in competition with each other? he said, it's notjust each other, the charts, we are up against the charts, we are up against the likes of drake, justin bieber, lady gaga. it's a big competition all around for all of us. that is the thing about

him, it was very clear that actually, he didn't want to speak about any sort of rivalry with the rest of one direction, people like niall horan and harry styles. especially because he was in argentina to support niall horan, it was very clear that actually he had so much love for his former one direction bandmates. as i said, 31 years old, it's a tragic, tragic age to lose someone, especially someone as famous as this. figs especially someone as famous as this. �* , , ., especially someone as famous as this. a ., especially someone as famous as this. ., this. as you say, joshua, as ou this. as you say, joshua, as you are _ this. as you say, joshua, as you are talking _ this. as you say, joshua, as you are talking about - this. as you say, joshua, as you are talking about what l this. as you say, joshua, as i you are talking about what he was reflecting on, the competition he faces notjust from his own band members taking on solo careers, but the likes ofjustin bieber and others, at such a young age, the pressure and therefore the difficult life he led, the short life he led, very difficult in many ways, and yet he was just a young boy from wolverhampton that won x factor. ~ , ,., ,

wolverhampton that won x factor. , , ., �*, factor. absolutely, that's the thin . . factor. absolutely, that's the thing- he _ factor. absolutely, that's the thing. he first _ factor. absolutely, that's the thing. he first went - factor. absolutely, that's the thing. he first went on - factor. absolutely, that's the thing. he first went on to - factor. absolutely, that's the thing. he first went on to x l thing. he first went on to x factor aged 1a, he came third with one directionjust factor aged 1a, he came third with one direction just two years later at 16 years old. and after x factor, it was the fans that catapulted one direction to worldwide stardom. they stuck with the band. the fans were almost like their promoters, shooting them to this global domination. the achievements speakfor achievements speak for themselves, five studio albums in a very short space of time. notjust arena tours, but stadium tours as well. 28 teen choice award nominations. dozens of brit awards and american music awards, billboards, culminating together... as you said, his life was not without difficulty. his solo career was not without difficulty. only recently, he reportedly split up recently, he reportedly split up from his management, they parted ways. it's been reported that his second studio album,

plans were shelved and he was rewriting songs. so this is somebody, unlike harry styles, who was almost the second coming of mickjagger, so to speak... this was someone who kind of struggled to fully cement himself as a solo artist away from the pressures and the worldwide stardom that came with one direction. it worldwide stardom that came with one direction.— with one direction. it did indeed. _ with one direction. it did indeed, joshua, - with one direction. it did indeed, joshua, thank i with one direction. it did l indeed, joshua, thank you with one direction. it did - indeed, joshua, thank you very much for your reaction to this news. we have so much more for you on our website and on the bbc news app. a live page updating all the time on the very latest developments, where fans are holding an impromptu vigil outside the hotel in buenos aires where liam payne fell from the third floor. obviously, there is an investigation into the actual

circumstances, but do take a look at our live page, as it updates you on the latest. now onto the middle east, the us ambassador to the un says they are watching israel's actions in gaza to make sure they don't have a "policy of starvation" in the northern part of the strip. she made the remarks to the un security council. israel has denied previous accusations that its military is surrounding parts of the north and preventing food aid from getting through. it comes as trucks carrying humanitarian aid enter the war—torn region for the third day in a row, following a two—week period when the united nations said no aid had entered northern gaza. the deliveries follow a warning from the us it would cut military support to israel if it didn't boost aid efforts in the strip. wyre davies is following all of these developments from jerusalem.

the americans have told israel they're keeping a very close eye on what israel is doing in northern gaza because of the humanitarian situation. i think israel is probably going to have to rethink its military objectives injabalia, in northern gaza. israel can't simply go in there now, almost flatten parts of the area in pursuit of the remaining hamas units. it has to think about the impact on the 300,000 or so people who are living there. israel says it is encouraging people to leave, but many agencies, like msf, have said it's impossible for people to leave. some people are being shot at when they try to leave by troops apparently, and even when people get to so—called designated safe areas, they find themselves at threat. sadly, people have been killed in bombings and shellings in these so—called safe areas. this statement from the us secretary of defence lloyd

austin announcing that overnight us military forces including multiple v2 bombers conducted multiple strikes on weapons storage facilities in areas of yemen, which is controlled by the houthi rebels. they were targeting underground facilities with weapons components that the houthi rebels have used to target vessels travelling through the region, through the red sea. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

let's turn to the us now, and kamala harris has sat down with fox news in herfirst—ever inteview with the network, where she was pushed on immigration as well as her vow to be a candidate of change. and on that, she was asked by fox host brett baier about comments she made last week in which she said she wouldn't change

a thing about the actions of the biden administration. take a listen. my presidency will not be a continuation ofjoe biden�*s. like every new president that comes into office, i will bring my life experiences, my professional experiences and fresh and new ideas, i represent a new generation of leadership. for example, i am someone who has not spent the majority of my career in washington, dc. i invite ideas, whether it's from the republicans supporting me, who were just on stage with me minutes ago, and the business sector, and others who can contribute to the decisions i make about, for example, my plan for increasing the supply of housing in america and bringing down the cost of housing. addressing the issue of small businesses, which is about working with the private sector to bring more capital and access to capital

to our small business leaders, including my plan for a $25,000 downpayment assistance for first—time home buyers and small businesses extending the tax deduction from $5,000 to 50,000. on wednesday, fox news also aired an