washington confirms reports that at least 3,000 north korean soldiers have been sent to russia and are now in training there. turkey says five people have been killed and others injured in a terror attack on a state—owned defence and aerospace firm. and we're live in battleground state georgia, where donald trump is holding a rally, as his rival kamala harris prepares for a town hall in pennsylvania. welcome to newsday on the bbc news channel, i'm steve lai. broadcasting to viewers in the uk and around the world. we begin with news that washington has confirmed reports that north korea has sent military forces to russia.

speaking on wednesday, defence secretary lloyd austin warned that if north korean troops join combat alongside russian soldiers, it would have a serious global impact. at a news conference in seoul, the south korean spy chief claimed around 3,000 north korean troops are currently receiving military training in russia ahead of their deployment to the front line. while russia and north korea deny the reports, the two nations have strengthened collaborations in recent years, and signed a major security agreement injune that commits both countries to provide military assistance if either is attacked. white house national security spokesmanjohn kirby has also been addressing the issue. i don't believe we have a very specific assessment at this time of the exact nature of all the training. there's three sites that we assess right now, this first tranche of about 3000 are being trained. i think

i could go so far as to say, at least in general terms, it's basic kind of combat training. and familiarisation. i can go as far as that and no further. the united states has warned that north korean troops will be regarded as "legitimate targets" if they fight alongside invading russian forces in ukraine. pyongyang and moscow have denied the claims. the leader of belarus, another russian ally, has also rejected reports of north korean involvement. in an exclusive interview with our russia editor steve rosenberg, the leader of belarus and ally of president putin denied these recent reports. few people know vladimir putin as well as alexander lukashenko, the authoritarian lu kashenko, the authoritarian leader of lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of belarus. he has agreed to take questions on the

war in ukraine and his role in it. translation: , ., it. translation: , . ., ., translation: one year ago, i sa ou translation: one year ago, i say you let — translation: one year ago, i say you let russia _ translation: one year ago, i say you let russia use - translation: one year ago, i say you let russia use your- say you let russia use your country as a staging ground for invading ukraine, are you prepared to do that again? i’m prepared to do that again? i'm read to prepared to do that again? i'm ready to provide territory again. _ ready to provide territory again, but i'm also ready to wage — again, but i'm also ready to wage war. _ again, but i'm also ready to wage war, together with the russians, from the territory of belarus. — russians, from the territory of belarus, but only if anyone, even — belarus, but only if anyone, even one _ belarus, but only if anyone, even one soldier, comes to our land _ even one soldier, comes to our land from — even one soldier, comes to our land from ukraine to kill my pe0ple~ _ land from ukraine to kill my people. a land from ukraine to kill my --eole. �* , . land from ukraine to kill my neale, �* , ., ., ., people. a year ago, there wasn't any _ people. a year ago, there wasn't any threat - people. a year ago, there wasn't any threat to - people. a year ago, there wasn't any threat to you l people. a year ago, there - wasn't any threat to you from ukraine. ., ., �* , ., ukraine. you don't understand the situation _ ukraine. you don't understand the situation very _ ukraine. you don't understand the situation very well. - ukraine. you don't understand the situation very well. the i the situation very well. the usa — the situation very well. the usa and _ the situation very well. the usa and western europe pushed ukraine — usa and western europe pushed ukraine into this war. well, they've _ ukraine into this war. well, they've got the war they wanted. they've got the war they wanted-— they've got the war they wanted. ,, ., ,, wanted. russian troops in belarus- _ wanted. russian troops in belarus. these _ wanted. russian troops in belarus. these were - wanted. russian troops in belarus. these were only| belarus. these were only exercises, but they make ukraine nervous. it's watching closely for any sign of belarus

becoming the launch pad for another russian push. mr lukashenko enjoys making the russian troops feel at home. the other thing he does a lot of is accused the west of fuelling this war. it of is accused the west of fuelling this war.- fuelling this war. if you continue _ fuelling this war. if you continue this _ fuelling this war. if you | continue this escalation, fuelling this war. if you - continue this escalation, you will get _ continue this escalation, you will get nuclear weapons. and russia — will get nuclear weapons. and russia has more than anyone. if nuclear— russia has more than anyone. if nuclear war— russia has more than anyone. if nuclear war starts, belarus will — nuclear war starts, belarus will cease to exist. so i'm saying _ will cease to exist. so i'm saying we need to stop, we need to sit— saying we need to stop, we need to sit down— saying we need to stop, we need to sit down at the negotiating table. — to sit down at the negotiating table, because nuclear war will wipe _ table, because nuclear war will wipe out — table, because nuclear war will wipe out the usa too. he table, because nuclear war will wipe out the usa too.- wipe out the usa too. he is offerin: wipe out the usa too. he is offering to _ wipe out the usa too. he is offering to host _ wipe out the usa too. he is offering to host vladimir. wipe out the usa too. he is i offering to host vladimir putin and joe biden in minsk for talks. the us leader will be in poland next week. i talks. the us leader will be in poland next week.— talks. the us leader will be in poland next week. i am inviting president biden _ poland next week. i am inviting president biden to _ poland next week. i am inviting president biden to belarus. - president biden to belarus. it's president biden to belarus. it's not _ president biden to belarus. it's not far from warsaw, 30 minules— it's not far from warsaw, 30 minutes and he's here. i will try the — minutes and he's here. i will try the president of russia to come — try the president of russia to come too. we will sit down and

reach _ come too. we will sit down and reach an— come too. we will sit down and reach an agreement. —— i will persuade _ reach an agreement. -- i will persuade-— persuade. that's unlikely to ha - en, persuade. that's unlikely to happen. in _ persuade. that's unlikely to happen. in the _ persuade. that's unlikely to happen, in the eyes - persuade. that's unlikely to happen, in the eyes of- persuade. that's unlikely to happen, in the eyes of the i persuade. that's unlikely to - happen, in the eyes of the west alexander lukashenko is very much in russia's camp, doing russia's bidding. for more on these recent develoments, i'mjoined by mark fitzpatrick, a nuclear non—proliferation expert at the international institute for strategic studies. i want to get your reaction to what the us is confirming to be north korean troops in russia, getting ready to take the fight to ukraine. what is the significance of that? this is a very surprising _ significance of that? this is a very surprising and _ significance of that? this is a| very surprising and significant development. both the fact of north korean troops going into the ukraine conflict, but also the ukraine conflict, but also the number of troops being spoken of. these are notjust korean technicians going to help guide north korean drones and ballistic missiles. these

are special forces north korean troops, highly trained, highly motivated, ideal logically in kind, and i think they will be put to good use by russia. —— ideal logically in kind. put to good use by russia. -- ideal logically in kind.- ideal logically in kind. what are the implications? - ideal logically in kind. what are the implications? there were implications _ are the implications? there were implications for - are the implications? there were implications for the i are the implications? there l were implications for the war in ukraine and the korean peninsular. ukraine, ithink it's most likely these troops will be sent to the kursk region to push back against ukraine's incursion into russia. the russian troops there are mostly not very well trained, raw recruits, draftees who are not really motivated in the water. the north koreans will provide an edge to russia, they may be successful in pushing ukraine back. —— in the war. undermining one of ukraine's few advantages in the war so far this year. and then in the korean peninsular, now that north korea had supplied

may 10,000 troops or they are planning to do, north korea's going to get something from russia for that. something tangible and something intangible. tangible, they will probably get something like space launch technology, missile technology, may be multiple independently targeted vehicles for their missiles. and in tangibly, russia will now be committed to defending north korea in the event of any conflict. that could make north korea more aggressive. taste conflict. that could make north korea more aggressive. we 'ust heard there fl korea more aggressive. we 'ust heard there from i korea more aggressive. we 'ust heard there from the i korea more aggressive. we just heard there from the belarus i heard there from the belarus leader lukashenko talking about the threat of nuclear potential war. do you think this raises the stakes in regard to that? i'm not sure it directly raises the stakes with regard to nuclear war, the stakes with regard to nuclearwar, but the stakes with regard to nuclear war, but it does show putin is crossing one red line

after another, putin is crossing one red line afteranother, inviting putin is crossing one red line after another, inviting foreign troops in like this is not something we had expected in this conflict. didn't expect the use of nuclear weapons either, and i still don't expect it, but i think it shows may be that putin is becoming more desperate to try to prosecute his war. more risk—taking, less mindful of international reactions. so i think it perhaps does indicate the use of a tactical nuclear weapon may be more likely than it was before.— it was before. and 'ust quickly, i it was before. and 'ust quickly, south i it was before. and just quickly, south korea, | it was before. and just l quickly, south korea, do it was before. and just - quickly, south korea, do you think they are likely to respond and perhapsjoin think they are likely to respond and perhaps join with ukraine? respond and perhaps 'oin with ukraine? ~ , , ., ukraine? well, the big question in south korea _ ukraine? well, the big question in south korea is _ ukraine? well, the big question in south korea is will _ ukraine? well, the big question in south korea is will south - in south korea is will south korea now directly supply artillery shells and other munitions to ukraine? there is a law in south korea that prohibits sending war supplied to a war zone, so south korea

has been sending artillery to poland, to backfill the artillery poland has been sending to ukraine. and now south korea may be more motivated to change the law and to do it directly. the other thing south korea almost certainly will be doing is sending its own technical advisers, intelligence experts to the ukraine conflict, to directly assess how the north korean troops are doing, so that south korea can get some intelligence information from this, and also share with ukraine what south korea knows about north korean tactics, its machinery, the state of its forces. ., , machinery, the state of its forces. . , . ~ five people have been killed and more than 20 injured during an attack in turkey on the headquarters of a defence company.

it happened at an aerospace complex north of the capital ankara. turkey's interior minister said a woman and a man had been "neutralised" in what he said was a terrorist attack. no—one has claimed responsibility. caroline hawley has the details. from the car park outside the headquarters of turkey's state—run aerospace company, someone filmed as the attack unfolded. first came the shooting. then the explosion. followed by more gunfire. the attackers appear to have arrived in this taxi. to the right of it, one of the first casualties. cctv showed two attackers — one a man, one a woman — just outside the building, carrying large rucksacks and automatic weapons. the man then enters the headquarters.

security forces rushed to the scene as employees took refuge in shelters. the company makes both civilian and military aircraft, as well as drones. this is the aftermath. no group has yet said it was behind it, but officials are pointing the finger at the kurdish militant group the pkk, which has fought a long insurgency against the turkish state. president erdogan had just arrived in russia to attend the brics summit of emerging economies. from those here and from other allies, including the us and eu, came a chorus of condemnation. translation: | thank. you for your condolences. i condemn this heinous terrorist attack and wish god's mercy to our martyrs. the two attackers were killed by the security forces, and as another of their victims died of their injuries, the defence minister vowed there would be

a stern response. caroline hawley, bbc news. turning to the us election, these are live pictures from duluth, georgia, where donald trump is holding a rally. earlier, he took part in a town hall in zebulon, georgia, about 50 miles south of atlanta. his rival kamala harris is preparing for a town hall in another battleground state, pennsylvania. let's cross live now to helena humphrey in duluth, georgia. you are at the trump valley and have been speaking to supporters. what have they been telling you? —— trump rally. it telling you? -- trump rally. it is telling you? —— trump rally. it is easy to find out the policies of the supporters, the backers of donald trump. perhaps you can hear a voice in the background, whenever he says anything that resonates, cheers go up among the people behind me. only thousands of people who have been waiting for hours, not everyone managed to get inside. donald trump took to the stage, calling

kamala harris the tax claim, saying she would raise taxes, andindeed saying she would raise taxes, and indeed that is something kamala harris has said she would do on the rich in order to expand social care. that certainly got a round of applause from the crowd. and of course the personal attacks have become ever more frequent as we enter the final stretch. just now calling her incompetent, saying she is hated as a vice president. speaking to people here, why are you voting for donald trump, they have said time and time again that it's about the economy. they have said that whether they are republican or democrat. i asked whether they are republican or democrat. iasked people whether they are republican or democrat. i asked people if they felt any effects on biden's insulation reduction act, many saying they didn't end up feeling that in their paycheque at the end of the month. and the people in this state, democrats, saying they are backing kamala harris when it comes to reproductive rights, because here in georgia, a six week abortion ban is on the books. i spoke to the younger generation, more

diverse voters, they say that is what is pushing them to vote, some 2 million people in this state have already voted, a quarter of the population. just remind us why the state of georgia is so important in this election. {lit georgia is so important in this election. , �*, election. of course, it's battleground _ election. of course, it's battleground state. - election. of course, it's battleground state. to | election. of course, it's - battleground state. to give you an illustration, for much of the 21st century, this state was red, a republican and joe biden slipped it blue in 2020 ijy biden slipped it blue in 2020 by the slimmest of margins, just 12,000 votes. kamala harris has come out and tried to continue that appeal. but donald trump has been as well. kamala harris will be back here tomorrow, holding a rally with former president barack 0bama. but most people know by now that this election will be lost and won, it's fair to say, in the margins.— and won, it's fair to say, in the margins. and in the crucial swin: the margins. and in the crucial swing states. _ the margins. and in the crucial swing states. thank _ the margins. and in the crucial swing states. thank you - the margins. and in the crucial

swing states. thank you so - the margins. and in the crucial i swing states. thank you so much for that update from georgia. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a 60—year—old woman has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after three people died at a care home in dorset. four other people were taken to hospital as a precaution, and the remaining residents at gainsborough care home in swanage have been moved to safety. police confirmed that "possible carbon monoxide poisoning" is the main line of inquiry. the government has confirmed the sale of disposable vapes will be banned by next summer in england. new legislation is being put before parliament, with the date ofjune1st, 2025 to ban single—use vapes. ministers say they hope to reduce the appeal of vapes to children. scotland, wales and northern ireland are also moving ahead with bans of their own. the prime minister has says he wants to focus on the future of the commonwealth, after ruling out compensation for the uk's historical

role in the slave trade. a group of caribbean nations has indicated it will push for the issue to be discussed at a summit of commonwealth leaders in samoa this week. you're live with bbc news. king charles and queen camilla have arrived in samoa on the second leg of their royal tour — the biggest overseas trip for king charles since his cancer diagnosis. the couple have a day of engagements on thursday, before meeting commonwealth leaders at the end of the week. katy watson reports from samoa. this small island nation extended a big welcome to the king and queen. it's the first time king charles has attended the commonwealth heads of government meeting as monarch. it's also a first for a pacific island to host the summit, and samoa's pulling out all the stops to make a success of it. the main road from the airport to the capital is one long welcome party.

villagers across samoa's main island have been sprucing up their homes, ready for this week's visitors. we are samoan people, we always extend our hospitality. same with the king. so, you know, we have this great opportunity to welcome him. the king may be in the spotlight, but so too are the issues that matter to him. and they are issues that also matter to islanders. the pacific is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels — while here, the king's chosen to visit a mangrove restoration project and a national park, highlighting the effects of climate change. the king will then spend friday with commonwealth leaders — climate is expected to once again dominate the agenda. but at this meeting of nations brought together by british colonisation, talk of historic links to the slave trade are bound to come up. the government has ruled out an apology and financial reparations are not on the agenda either.

neither will the king be able to say anything, as he needs the government's approval. he will, though, address leaders and host a dinner on friday, before he and the queen make their long journey home. katy watson, bbc news, in samoa. the commonwealth has been under pressure in recent years, with some countries that currently have the monarch as head of state exploring republicanism. and flagship events like the games in disarray. global warming however is a uniting issue for the group says professor melanie pill, whojoins me now from sydney. thank you for your time. your thoughts thank you for your time. your tho