ukraine's president zelensky claims russia's war on his country will end sooner than it otherwise would have done, with donald trump back in the white house. hello, i'm carl nasman. president—elect donald trump is continuing to name key allies to join his government, amid public backlash for some of his top picks. the latest nomination is doug burgum to the department of the interior.its agencies are responsible for public land, as well as domestic energy production. the governor of north dakota joins a growing list of trump cabinet hopefuls, which includes robert f kennedy junior and matt gaetz — trump's pick for attorney general. both men have been the subject of scrutiny since their nominations this week. there have been calls for the house ethics committee to release its report into gaetz, who was being investigated over misconduct allegations. but gaetz�*s abrupt resignation from the house on wednesday halted the investigation, as only current members can be investigated. we've also learned who will be behind the podium in the white house delivering briefings to the press. karoline leavitt, the trump transition team's spokeswoman, has been named white house press secretary. she will be the youngest to hold that position at 27 years old. shejoins another trump spokesperson: steven cheung, who will become white house communications director

in the new administration. for the latest on the trump transition picks i spoke with our correspondent in florida jess parker — i started by asking her about the latest pick for white house press secretary. audiences will be familiar with the role the man who stands behind him in the white house. speaking essentially on behalf of the president. it appears she will be the youngest ever person to hold that role. now, we think she appears to be the youngest ever person to hold that role in the first person to do so under 30 since the time is of richard nixon, so quite a striking appointment. she has had a role on his

campaign team as well back of the first trump administration, and i was just watching a video tape of her recently, talking about about donald trump's picks. she was really giving a full—throated defence for those cabinet nominations that i know you're going to be discussing to the programme, and she said that donald trump had made fantastic picks. so really coming out to bat for the president, and that will essentially now be herjob to do so. he went through quite a few press secretaries in the last administration, presumably hoping this one sticks. and pete hegseth had stiffed was already a divisive choice. now there are reports coming out that he was involved in a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault in 2017. what more can you tell us about that? pete hegseth, as you say,

tapped earlier this week to be defence secretary. to be defence secretary, heading up the pentagon in charge of running the world's most powerful military. his appointment because of some raised eyebrows. he didn't really have any government experience. he's a former combat veteran, outspoken on exposing woke military culture. but now what's emerged over the last 2a hours or so is he was investigated for sexual assault in 2017 in california. he has denied wrongdoing and he was never arrested or charged. there is reporting in us media tonight that this allegation has caught the trump transition team off guard. but what his lawyer has said is it shouldn't impact the confirmation process in their view.

the nominations come on the heels of an election which saw republicans grab widespread control of the us government. i've been speaking about that with axios senior contributor margaret talev. always good to speak to you. what you think that will mean for the party. how easy or difficult will it be for donald trump's agenda. it's a great question. '5 who a friendly posture _ it's a great question. '5 who a friendly posture on _ it's a great question. '5 who a friendly posture on the - friendly posture on the supreme court as well. on some level maximises president—elect trump to shake up these real changes of all kinds of norms and institutions that he is promised to voters. the reason

why is that it is a separation of powers. the senate has the ability to force investigations. the house can initiate impeachment. when all those are controlled, and means it's much less likely that the democratic party is able to bless him and furthermore, because he won not just the electoral college but the popular vote, he has claimed them mandate. we hear many republicans say has a mandated will only ratchet up the pressure on them to push through what he's trying to do. but there is some potential limits to that. even with republicans controlling the senate, house of seats are up every two years. the third of the senate is up every two

years. it will be even slimmer in the beginning because trump has pulled in several republicans to serve in his upcoming user registration. those republicans in the house in the senate to balance both of their loyalty to the president and his real political pressure on him. they're going to be up for reelection. buy we've been hearing a lot from the abundance period about —— sounding off against these. do we have a sounding off against these. do we have - , , sounding off against these. do we have. , , ., sounding off against these. do we have _ sounding off against these. do wehave., , ., . ., , we have a sense of what voters think? there _ we have a sense of what voters think? there was _ we have a sense of what voters think? there was his _ we have a sense of what voters think? there was his mandate l think? there was his mandate for donald trump, but the truck voters, the swing state voters approve of some of these more controversial picks? it’s approve of some of these more controversial picks?— controversial picks? it's a really good _ controversial picks? it's a really good question - controversial picks? it's a - really good question because what we saw in the exit polling

and it was validated in some focus groups that we are involved in actually this week is that many of these swing state voters voted for donald trump because they're upset about inflation and they believe the economy was better when he was the president and they want that back. they want groceries to be cheaper, they want interest rates to come down, they want to afford stuff and have more money in the pocket. many of them were not voting for a total transformation of government. in some of the massive changes that he's promised. we were in focus groups this week and interestingly, what we heard from the swing state voters, some of whom did vote for trump, they don't think is very close relationship with elon musk is a good idea. we heard

from some of them that musk was not elected, they didn't vote for him, and they question that he's out billionaire, what does he's out billionaire, what does he want out of it? —— he is a billionaire. a little less certainty from rfk. some of them like the idea that he wants to take on big as in question the pharmaceutical industry, but others say they have questions about his mental health and they are concerned his own family has stepped away from him. they're concerned about his spread of conspiracy theories. we about his spread of conspiracy theories. ~ ,., about his spread of conspiracy theories. ~ ., theories. we saw both of those gentlemen _ theories. we saw both of those gentlemen on _ theories. we saw both of those gentlemen on the _ theories. we saw both of those gentlemen on the campaign . theories. we saw both of those l gentlemen on the campaign trail with trump. there wasn't exactly a secret they might have a role in his administration. bird voters aware, you think, this might be the way that this trump 2.0 would shape up? i the way that this trump 2.0 would shape up?— the way that this trump 2.0 would shape up? i think voters are not monolithic. _ would shape up? i think voters are not monolithic. some - would shape up? i think voters are not monolithic. some of. are not monolithic. some of them voted for donald trump because they want everything that he's selling. they want to shake of institutions, they

want to reduce government, they want to reduce government, they want to reduce government, they want to bring in outsiders. there are other people who are not thinking of that and focus on the border. i think some people will love everything they're maxing this week. i think many americans will say it's not what they thought they were voting for. let's ta ke let's take you now to lebanon. it's a little after 6am in beirut, where you see these live pictures right now after friday's deadly strikes by israel, continuing its campaign against what it says are hezbollah positions around lebanon's capital. scattered strikes lasted for four days, including this attack that flattened a high—rise building. we do not know how many people were killed or injured. elsewhere in the country, officials say at least 15 rescue workers, waiting to be dispatched to help civilians,

were killed when an israeli missile struck a civil defence building. six weeks into israel's invasion, lebanese officials say their government is considering a new us truce proposal aimed at halting the conflict. iran, which backs his brother, has said it will support any decision made by the group and the lebanese government. our middle east correspondent, hugo bachega, is in beirut. effo rts efforts continue and the american ambassador to lebanon and deliver the draft proposal for a deal to the lebanese authorities. we don't have details of what is in this proposal, but what the lebanese government has been saying is that they are open to any deal limited to the united nations revs a nation 1701. it requires hezbollah to remove its fighters and weapons. a sticking point is israel wants fighters and weapons. a sticking point is israel wants have the right to act inside have the right to act inside lebanon should any deal be lebanon should any deal be

violated. a demand that the violated. a demand that the lebanese authorities say is lebanese authorities say is unacceptable. here on friday, a unacceptable. here on friday, a senior iranian official had senior iranian official had talks with a senior lebanese talks with a senior lebanese official is i iran would official is i iran would support any decision taken by support any decision taken by the lebanese government. this the lebanese government. this is being seen as an indication is being seen as an indication that iran wants to see the end that iran wants to see the end of the conflict here. iran is of the conflict here. iran is the main supporter of the main supporter of known as haredim, have been hezbollah. the prime minister hezbollah. the prime minister said the government priority is said the government priority is to reach a cease—fire and to reach a cease—fire and negotiations will continue. negotiations will continue. meanwhile, israel's meanwhile, israel's new defence minister says new defence minister says he's approved a new he's approved a new round of draft notices round of draft notices to ultra—orthodox jews. to ultra—orthodox jews. in a post on x, israel katz in a post on x, israel katz said 7,000 notices said 7,000 notices would be sent out to quote would be sent out to quote "ease the burden" on idf "ease the burden" on idf troops, with the first phase troops, with the first phase

being issued on sunday. being issued on sunday. ultra—orthodox jews, ultra—orthodox jews, known as haredim, have been exempt from israel's universal conscription for most of the country's history. but israel's supreme court overruled that exemption over the summer. the carve—out had faced increasing scrutiny as the haredi population has grown, and particularly since israel's invasion of gaza after hamas's deadly attacks of october 7th last year. the previous defence minister, yoav gallant, had pushed to ramp up the conscription of haredim, but there was speculation the draft could be slowed after he was sacked and replaced by mr katz. these new draft notices have the potential to put mr netanyahu's coalition at risk, which includes many haredis and supporters of the exemption. and amid reports of idf troops battling his brother deeper inside lebanese territory, i spoke with the wilson center's middle east programme director merissa khurma — i asked her if she thinks israel's ground invasion there is escalating. does it look to you like the ground invasion has been escalating?— ground invasion has been escalating? and has been intensifying _ escalating? and has been intensifying over - escalating? and has been intensifying over the - escalating? and has been intensifying over the past| intensifying over the past week. even as the us ambassador handed over the cease—fire proposal that your correspondent spoke of earlier, unfortunately, that's what we are seeing. the reporter

reported on those being pulled out of the rubble, the estimated number of those being held as over #,000 people, many innocent civilians —— 3,000. but of course, they are equally hoping that the cease—fire negotiation will move forward. but it doesn't look like we are there yet. there are a lot of mixed signals and mixed messages from both sides. the lebanese newspaper affiliated with hezbollah sort of attack to the deal, noting that it is that meling limit on, sort of pushing this whole situation want to lebanon's court —— targeting lebanon. of course, as your correspondent mentioned, this is one of the

sticking points. on the israeli side, we're being mixed messaging as well. some officials are noting that bibi netanyahu officials are noting that bibi neta nyahu wants to officials are noting that bibi netanyahu wants to wait for trump presidency to hand president—elect trunk thoroughly got back president-elect trunk thoroughly got back what role do ou thoroughly got back what role do you think _ thoroughly got back what role do you think the _ thoroughly got back what role do you think the us _ thoroughly got back what role do you think the us politics i do you think the us politics plays in this? do you think anything will be done during what they call the lame—duck presidency before donald trump takes office?— takes office? you would think that this is — takes office? you would think that this is a _ takes office? you would think that this is a very _ takes office? you would think that this is a very small - that this is a very small window of opportunity that the biden administration would take advantage of, but i think in the house he has been empowered ljy the house he has been empowered by the election of president—elect trump. it's very unlikely we will see any kind of cease—fire talks moving forward, whether in gauze over lebanon, so we are hearing these mixed messages. israeli officials are saying they want to hand trump a victory, but others are noting that they have told the biden

the past with regards to for example my cup to be, there's no such thing as palestinians —— mike huckabee, more annexation of the west bank, we're looking at the budget for settlement expenses. these do not bode very positively for palestinians' future or the prospect of a two—state solution. if there's anything i had the trump presidency to inform, how he will move forward on this file, then it is going to be quite disconcerting for many of the key us allies, namely saudi arabia, that has been really very harshly critical of israel's conduct in gaza. the

same time reaffirming the commitment. german chancellor olaf scholz spoke with vladimir putin friday in a phone call where he urged the russian president to negotiate peace talks with the russian president to negotiate peace talks with ukraine. mr scholz also told him the deployment of north korean troops in ukraine was a grave escalation. the kremlin described the conversation as "a detailed and frank exchange of opinions on the situation in ukraine." ukraine's president zelensky said the call undermined efforts to isolate russia. mr zelensky has also been speaking about the impact of a second trump administration on the war in ukraine.

here's what he said. translation: we are a great nation we have to prove it. - therefore, i believe the war will end. there is no exact date, but for sure, i emphasised once again with the policy of this team that will now lead the white house, the world will end faster, the world will end faster. it is also important for them. not only for the sake of ukraine. meanwhile, us president joe biden is in peru, meeting with leaders on the sidelines of the asia pacific economic cooperation summit — or apec. the six—day trip to latin america is expected to bring a face—to—face meeting with china's president xijinping on saturday. it's the two superpowers' first meeting since november of last year, and it's likely their last before donald trump becomes commander in chief. on friday, biden met with the leaders of south korea and japan: key us allies in the pacific. and while he acknowledged it was his last meeting with the alliance — he emphasised the partnership was enduring. i'm proud to have helped with the parts of building this partnership. i think it's built to last. it's my hope and expectation.

i truly believe cooperation of our countries will be the solution for peace to many years to come. i've been speaking about the summit with retired brigadier general david stilwell, former us assistant secretary of state for east asian and pacific and pacific affairs. he told me about the importance of apec for diplomatic relations. those are conversations on the sideline and a chance to get to allies, in addition with the chinese side, it's good. these are all things that will help with the drc on notice that military activity will be ready to stand for that. it still says we value partners. these are all things that will put the drc on notice that will put the drc on notice that military activity will be ready to stand for that. but we talk about cooperation in terms of apec, it's not just military pressure. we're talking about economic pressure. but if been used as a lever to coerce others. it's also creating pressure. it starts with the facility in peru that's just been built. it is a very common ploy.

let's talk about the meaning they're expecting saturday between joe biden and xijinping. you mentioned competition between the two countries. i think it's going to be a review of all the things that we have discussed to a degree. unfortunately, there will be a long list of accomplishments. they will discuss the relationship, but it doesn't equate to action, sort of in the future we focus on much on the relationship. when this same meeting some it happened last year in san francisco, there were chinese personnel, beating up protesters in san francisco with tibet flags and uyghur flags in their own country.

nothing's been done about that. this is the world that the prc sees and wants. to be able to influence others from the inside and the outside. what the president raises the with xijinping... i hope he does, i hope it's a warning that with a second trump administration, you'll see a resumption of a pressure across the board. there's been a new development in the killing of malcolm x, one of the charismatic and militant leaders of america's civil rights movement. white people should realise that freedom is something they have _ that freedom is something they have when they're born. his family has filed a lawsuit against the us government, accusing it of being complicit in his murder in 1965. they allege the fbi, the cia and new york police knew about the plot to assassinate malcolm x but did nothing to stop it, including officers and agents that

were in the room. the family is seeking $100 million in damages. there's been no response yet from the law enforcement agencies, whom lawyers say were trying to silence malcolm x in the 1960s. so, you ask yourself this last question — why would the government prosecute two individuals knowing the individual had no involvement in the assassination of? what was it that our government that our government was trying to protect? the number of people dying from sudan's civil war is significantly higher than previously reported — according to a new report from the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine's sudan research group. more than 61,000 people have died in khartoum state, where fighting began last year. until now, the un and other aid agencies have been using the figure of twenty thousand confirmed deaths. preventable starvation and disease are the leading causes of death — but the group concluded that 26,000 people were killed as a direct result of violence. the report comes

as intense fighting continues in the darfur region, where aid groups have identified vehicles manufactured by the united arab emirates and equipped with french defence systems, which may constitute a violation of an un embargo on international weaponry in sudan. wala suleiman, a sudanese american physicians association coordinator in khartoum, told us about the humanitarian situation there. actually, medical practitioners continue to provide in this region, and especially in hospitals with a surgical pathologist. occurring by hospital from ambulance. we are seeing people for stabilisation. they are mostly seeing hospitals outside the state. i think we need to come of the international community, needs to intervene more, especially in the field of health, especially... i think health and food supplies, especially medications and

medical supplies as a whole. especially with the outbreak of cholera. bus to check on other stories making headlines. bus to check on other stories making headlines. the new president of sri lanka is celebrating a landslide parliamentary election victory for his left—wing coalition. the national people's power coalition won nearly 62 percent of the vote, in what president anura kumara dissanayake called a "renaissance" vote. the victory will allow him to push through economic and constitutional changes he promised during the campaign. comedian and former late—night tv host conan o'brien will host next year's academy awards, the academy of motion picture arts and sciences announced friday. it will be o'brien's first time hosting the biggest night on the us entertainment calendar. the oscars will air in march 20—25. and what's been dubbed as the fight of the year

is minutes away. the former heavyweight champion mike tyson, who's now 58, is about to compete in his first competitive boxing match in nearly 20 years — when he faces the youtuber turned boxer jake paul. the fight is being broadcast live on netflix. it is the first time the streaming giant has forayed into boxing, but users worldwide have been reporting outtages during the broadcast already. in the meantime, i am carl nasman in washington. thanks for watching. hello there. it's turning a lot colder for all of us next week. the transition starts this weekend — colder air already across northern scotland will continue to push southwards. and that will introduce the risk of snow showers, certainly in northern areas, but we could even see a spell of rain, sleet and snow during sunday night into monday. more on that in just a moment. but the colder air is moving around this area of low pressure from the arctic, already across northern scotland, and through saturday, it'll push further southwards. but across the south

of britain, it will stay fairly mild but with a lot of cloud around. now, the boundary is this cold front with some rain on it as it continues to push southwards, so rather grey day on saturday — central and southern areas. behind the cold front, the cold air is digging in, so it's brighter with sunny spells, scattered showers. these will be wintry over the hills across scotland. you can see the temperature contrast from north to south — milder in the south, pretty cold in the north, particularly factor in the strong northerly wind. and then through saturday night, the colder air continues to trundle southwards, eventually reaching all areas and will continue with wintry showers, mainly around coastal areas. and a risk of ice as well — it will be a cold night to come across the northern half of the country and turning colder in the south, but it does mean sunday will be cold but brighter, with sunshine across large parts of england and wales. further wintry showers across northern and western scotland. then we look to the west to an area of low pressure that will start to push rain into northern ireland and increasingly across england and wales. temperatures on sunday could reach 10 or 11 degrees in the south, but it's another cold one for central and northern areas. now, through sunday night,

that rain becomes heavier and it pushes its way eastward. so, rather a wet night to come for the southern half of the country. it turns milder and windier in the south, but it stays cold across the north with further wintry showers. you can see that temperature contrast to start monday. but the start of next week through monday could cause some issues. a bit of a headache to the uncertainty. this area of low pressure could be further north, it could be further south, but it looks like its northern flank could see some snow on the hills across northern england to scotland, whereas further south will mainly of rain and there'll be strong winds. as it pulls away, though, into the near continent, opens the floodgates to an even colder arctic northerly from tuesday onwards. and you can see that here on the outlook — chance of snow across northern areas, rain in the south, and then from tuesday onwards it's very cold with cold nights.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines - for you at the top of the hour, which is straight - after this programme. i'm on the portuguese island of madeira... this is why we travel! ..an atlantic isle off the coast of morocco. do you want to hold it? yuck! it's earned the nickname the hawaii of europe and it's one of the few places that

actually thrived during covid travel restrictions. we had the green corridor. we had all the facilities, everything ready. they arrive here and say, "oh, my god. where am i?" to portugal! i'm here to meet the people that call this place home... shouting. ..to experience the wonder of its landscapes... mmm! that's nice! ..and see how tourism is now pushing locals to walk that delicate line between preserving natural beauty and boosting economic growth. now, around the world, there are many airports named after significant historical figures —jfk in new york, for example, or indira gandhi airport in new delhi. well, here in madeira, they've got an airport named after an iconic hero,

too — except this one is very much alive and kicking.