hello i'm sumi somaskanda. with six days to go until the us presidential election, both candidates are targeting key battle ground states as they make their final appeal to voters. kamala harris is targeting three swing states on wednesday, making stops in north carolina, pennsylvania and wisconsin. and donald trump has held rallies in two of the same states: north carolina and wisconsin. and here is donald trump a short while ago campaigning in green bay, wisconsin after earlier rallying in north carolina. he referred to a remark made by president biden in which he appeared to call mr trump's supporters garbage. president biden says he was referring to a comedian who sparked outrage when he used that same word to describe puerto rico at a recent trump rally. let's hear what donald trump said tonight. i have to begin by saying 250 million americans are not

garbage. this week, carmelite has been comparing her political opponents to the most evil mass murderers in history and now speaking on a call for her campaign last night, crooked joe biden finally said what he and carmel are —— my love really think, that supporters are garbage. no way. they mean it, even though without question my supporters are far higher quality than crooked joe or lying,. —— kamala. and we take you now to kamala harris�*s rally in pennsylvania where she is due to speak shortly. earlier we saw university students speaking there. wisconsin is a key battleground

state, part of the blue wall, the states that democrats across the rustbelt are keen to win, thatjoe biden won in 2020 and we keyed to his victory in defeating donald trump. donald trump and his campaign say they feel strong about wisconsin this time around. let's listen now do what kamala harris has to say. now do what kamala harris has to sa . ., now do what kamala harris has tosa. ., ~ , �*, to say. hello, wisconsin! let's hear it for— to say. hello, wisconsin! let's hear it for todd! _ to say. hello, wisconsin! let's hear it for todd! 0k, - to say. hello, wisconsin! let's| hear it for todd! 0k, madison, hear it fortodd! 0k, madison, are hear it for todd! 0k, madison, are we ready to do this? are we ready to vote? are we ready to win? it is good to be back in

madison. it is good to be back. and many of you may know when i was five years old my parents taught at the university of wisconsin, madison. and so for a time my sister and i lived not farfrom here in a time my sister and i lived not far from here in a a time my sister and i lived not farfrom here in a house on lachmann dollar. so it is good to be back and it is good to be with so many incredible leaders and first of all i want to thank everybody who is here right now for taking the time you have taken to be here. i also want to thank our governor of wisconsin. governor evers. . of wisconsin. governor evers. , kamala harris speaking there. she has just arrived there in madison, wisconsin and as we said donald trump held a rally

earlier in the day in green bay wisconsin. let's talk more now about the state of wisconsin. i'm joined by ruth conniff, editor—in—chief of the wisconsin examiner. it is good to have you with us. we are looking at pictures of, kamala harris as we are speaking but i want to start with the basic question for some of our viewers, weighs wisconsin such a key state in this election?— this election? wisconsin's electoral— this election? wisconsin's electoral college - this election? wisconsin's electoral college votes . this election? wisconsin'sl electoral college votes will this election? wisconsin's - electoral college votes will be important to the candidate was able to put together the winning majority of electoral votes. because we have the electoral college system it comes down to a handful of states that are not going all for the democratic role for the republican party. wisconsin is possibly the most closely divided state of all of them. the state voted for donald trump in 2016 by 20000 votes and in 20,000 votes got it for joe biden in 2020. and in 20,000 votes got it for joe biden in 2020.— and in 20,000 votes got it for joe biden in 2020. what are the latest polls _ joe biden in 2020. what are the latest polls tell _ joe biden in 2020. what are the latest polls tell us _ joe biden in 2020. what are the latest polls tell us about - latest polls tell us about where these candidates stand? fix,

where these candidates stand? new poll is out today, a gold standard pole in the state of wisconsin and it has the candidates in a dead heat and thatis candidates in a dead heat and that is something that has been confirmed over and over again. it is within the margin of error and could go either way. i want to ask about the closing arguments with scene four, larrison donald trump. 0n arguments with scene four, larrison donald trump. on a trump asking if you are better off than three years ago and, le a contrast between her and donald trump. what do you think will work for voters in wisconsin?— will work for voters in wisconsin? , ., ., wisconsin? the question about how the economy _ wisconsin? the question about how the economy is _ wisconsin? the question about how the economy is going - wisconsin? the question about how the economy is going is i wisconsin? the question aboutj how the economy is going is an interesting one. wisconsin has long unemployment and a large state budget surplus and wage growth. in many ways wisconsin are better off than they were at the height of pandemic when trump left office. but people are worried about grocery prices and that is what they mean when they talk about the economy. 0n the other side, wisconsin lost abortion rights and that is an animated issue

and that is an animated issue and has driven big democratic victories recently including changing the make—up of the state's supreme court when there was a new liberal majority form there and that is created momentum for democrats. the democratic governor could turn here. it will be tight but i think those issues are important issues. immigration is a top republican issue, interestingly in wisconsin where 7% of the labour force are on dairy farms, the state's iconic industry. most of them are undocumented immigrants because there is no these are for farmworkers. because there is no these are forfarmworkers. mass for farmworkers. mass deportation would forfarmworkers. mass deportation would be a huge hit for wisconsin.— for wisconsin. fascinating oints. for wisconsin. fascinating points- if— for wisconsin. fascinating points. if we _ for wisconsin. fascinating points. if we talk - for wisconsin. fascinating points. if we talk about i for wisconsin. fascinating l points. if we talk about turn out, turnout will be so important. we know that the harris team is looking to the suburbs such as in the city of milwaukee. what do we know about how enthused voters there may be? about how enthused voters there ma be? ~ ., about how enthused voters there ma be? ., , , ,, may be? women in the suburbs have turned _ may be? women in the suburbs have turned against _ may be? women in the suburbs have turned against the - have turned against the republicans in recent years because of the abortion issue,

largely, and that is part of what feel that supreme court race. the democrats who offered off —— opened offices in wisconsin are going to votes all over the state and we have maps of the first time this year, the state will be district did so democrats are competing in areas where they had not completed before. both campaigns, you can see them in every part of the state. they are going to rural votes, urban votes, donald trump turned out in the states —— in the county become lahri's tonight because nobody is taking anything for granted. nobody is taking anything for ranted. , ., ,., ., granted. there is an important senate race — granted. there is an important senate race in _ granted. there is an important senate race in your _ granted. there is an important senate race in your state. - granted. there is an important senate race in your state. how tight is that race right now. also within the margin of the aero. her challenger is endorsed by donald trump and it is part of that wave of trump republicans challenging democrats.— republicans challenging democrats. ., ., democrats. great to get your insi . hts. democrats. great to get your insights. thank _ democrats. great to get your insights. thank you - democrats. great to get your insights. thank you for - democrats. great to get your| insights. thank you forjoining us.

we'll have live coverage of election night here on bbc news, on bbc one in the uk, and on the iplayer. myself and caitriona perry will bring you a special programme from here in washington dc, beginning at ten "10:40 gmt, that's next tuesday, the 5th november. some breaking news now. north korea has testified a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile. south korea and japan say the missile flew on a steep trajectory from an area near pyongyang and dropped into the sea off the japanese coast under one .5 hours after it launched. if confirmed the estimated flying time of nearly 90 minutes would be the longest of any north korean test etiquette took place shortly after the us and south korean defence ministers held talks at the pentagon where they spoke against the deployment of thousands of north korean troops to russia for its war against ukraine. white house

condemned the missile launch while saying it did not immediately threaten us territory, personnel or its allies and we will continue to follow the latest developments on that story as we get new information into us here. at least 110 palestinians are now known to have been killed in israeli strikes on a residential building in beit lahia in northern gaza on tuesday — according to gaza's hamas—run health ministry. officials say 25 children are among those killed, and that several people are still missing. a spokesperson for the us called the attack "horrifying". israeli officials said their troops were unaware that displaced civilians were taking shelter inside the building when it was hit. on wednesday, the un security council, quote "strongly warned against any attempts to dismantle or diminish" the palestinian relief agency unrwa — after israel's parliament passed a law banning it from operating inside israel. humanitarian agencies say the law could badly hinder aid deliveries to palestinians in gaza. the law is due to take effect 90 days after it was passed on monday.

israel is under pressure to avoid civilian casualties and allow more humanitarian assistance into gaza. earlier this month a letter from the us was leaked, which demanded israel allow at least 350 aid lorries into gaza each day within 30 days or risk losing military assistance. 0ur middle east regional editor sebastian usher sent this update. the us says that it has not received the answers at once over the strike that hit a five—storey building in northern gaza in beit lahia. hamas officials say at least 90 people are missing. the idf has spoken to the bbc to give some explanation of what happened saying the troops spotted a man with binoculars on the roof of the building — what they called a spotter — and they made a decision on the spur of the moment to take individual out.

they say they did not intend for the building to collapse, but that it was not the target. in gaza and certainly something the us is expressing more and more concern about. this is the biden administration. the us state department spokesman described the incident as horrifying. the us has given israel a 30—day deadline to improve notjust the way its battle being fought in northern gaza and hamas, but also the dire humanitarian situation there within a 30—day deadline. and the us has said if things don't improve during that time, it may have an effect on the way the us supplies weapons to israel. lebanon's health ministry says at least 19 people have been killed in israeli air raids in two towns close to a historic city where suspected hezbollah infrastructure is located.

thousands of lebanese residents evacuated baalbek before the israeli raids on wednesday. the city is home to the ruins of a roman—era temple that are designated a unesco world heritage site. on wednesday, hezbollah�*s new leader warned against israel's military presence in lebanon. naim qassem gave his first address a day after being elected to run the group. he vowed to continue the plans of his predecessor hassan nasrallah, who was killed by an israeli strike last month. and he said the iran—backed group is acting in its own interest. translation: israel. doesn't need an excuse. it's for us to have a resistance with a defensive attack than to be waiting and doing nothing. waiting for israel to attack us and surprises in one way or another. 0ur correspondent in beirut emir nader gave us an idea of what the mood is like on the ground in baalbek. today, we had the first evacuation order given by the israeli military for an entire lebanese city, the city of baalbek

and bekka valley. it's hom to over 100,000 people and the issue, the order came out at around the order came out at around 11am and just around three 11am and just around three hours later, the air hours later, the air strikes began. strikes began. we managed to speak we managed to speak to the mayor of baalbek today, to the mayor of baalbek today, who told us within that period who told us within that period of around three hours, of around three hours, locals fled the city and scenes locals fled the city and scenes of panic but many thousands of panic but many thousands chose to remain chose to remain for various reasons. for various reasons. he was insistent that baalbek — he was insistent that baalbek — yes, it's in the bekaa valley yes, it's in the bekaa valley which is a home to large which is a home to large support of hezbollah — support of hezbollah — but he says there was no of hezbollah made his but he says there was no weapons storage from weapons storage from the israeli military the israeli military for their part said the site for their part said the site they've been attacking they've been attacking in the bekaa valley today had in the bekaa valley today had been intending to hit been intending to hit hezbollah fuel, given to them hezbollah fuel, given to them by iran, they say. by iran, they say. but we have not heard but we have not heard of any casualties so far, of any casualties so far, but in the wider bekaa valley but in the wider bekaa valley area, reports of dozens injured area, reports of dozens injured or killed in israeli air or killed in israeli air strikes and those strikes took strikes and those strikes took

place as the new leader place as the new leader of hezbollah made his first public speech. he said to the public that has intends to continue down down the path that the previous secretary—general hassan nasrallah continued, their fight against israel said there would be no deviation from that. however, he alluded to the cease—fire saying if israel is willing to come to acceptable terms of a cease—fire than they will too, that is respecting lebanese territory and sovereignty and it applies that hezbollah would also pull back away from the border with israel. us mediators are reportedly working on a 60—day ceasefire deal for israel and hezbollah, and lebanon's prime minister najib mikati said on wednesday that he is "cautiously optimistic" such an agreement with israel may be possible within the coming hours or days. the state department says senior us officials will travel to the region on thursday. we want to see a diplomatic resolution that allows civilians, both in

lebanon and israel,

civilians, both in lebano much srael, so than access, much more so than southern gaza for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the idf is now in a position whether or not they are conducting operations but seek to heavily regulate the movement of all individuals which has an impact on humanitarian aid flows as well. my humanitarian aid flows as well. my understanding is that it has reached such a point that we are at the precipice of famine once again, a concern we had several months ago.- several months ago. what obligation _ several months ago. what obligation does _ several months ago. what obligation does israel- several months ago. what| obligation does israel have here is a carries out these operations to ensure the population there is served with assistance. population there is served with assistance-— assistance. israel has obligations _ assistance. israel has obligations under - assistance. israel has - obligations under international law to ensure that humanitarian aid is provided to civilians. israel also has obligations under the national security memorandum number 20 that president biden issued which requires each recipient of us military aid to not only not

restrict the delivery of aid but to actually facilitate it and given that virtually nothing is getting through it is very difficult to describe israel as facilitating the delivery of aid.- israel as facilitating the delivery of aid. israel as facilitating the delive of aid. ., ,~' , ., delivery of aid. let me ask you about what _ delivery of aid. let me ask you about what israel _ delivery of aid. let me ask you about what israel is _ delivery of aid. let me ask you about what israel is saying - about what israel is saying here because its ambassador to the un said his country was going above and beyond its humanitarian obligations and blamed hamas for stealing aid. has the us been able to prove that this is happening in a systematic fashion that would explain why there is not enough aid coming in?— aid coming in? hamas is stealing _ aid coming in? hamas is stealing aid _ aid coming in? hamas is stealing aid and - aid coming in? hamas is stealing aid and so - aid coming in? hamas is stealing aid and so are l stealing aid and so are criminal elements. 0utside stealing aid and so are criminal elements. outside of hamas there are increasingly organised criminal operations that are looting the aid and then selling it on the open market for profit. but that alone does not account for the near complete absence of humanitarian aid being delivered and the un delivery of aid has always been more

reliable than commercial reliable than commerc