live from washington, this is bbc news. ukraine fires us—supplied long—range missiles into russia — a move the kremlin condemns. as ceasefire negotiations continue, a top us official says an end to the israel—hezbollah war is "within our grasp". and prosecutors in donald trump's new york hush money trial agree to delay his sentencing, possibly until after the upcoming presidential term. hello. i'm carl nasman. welcome to the programme. ukraine has launched its first american—made long—range missiles into russian territory, marking a shift in the war.

us officials say russia intercepted two of the eight ballistic missiles tuesday. moscow said five missiles were shot down and that one caused a fire at a military facility. but it's the first time the us—provided army tactical missile system — or atacms — has been fired at russian soil. ukraine says it struck an ammunition warehouse about 100 kilometres inside russia, though it didn't itself confirm which weapons system it used. for months, vladimir putin has been warning against such a move, threatening retaliation. here's the kremlin�*s foreign minister, sergei lavrov, after news of the attack. the president mentioned this several times, if long—range missiles are going to be deployed from ukraine into russian territory, it will also mean that they are operated by american experts, military experts, and we will be taking this

as a qualitatively new phase of the western war against russia, and we will react accordingly. on tuesday, mr putin announced that he's lowering the threshhold for the use of nuclear weapons. our russia editor, steve rosenberg, has more from moscow. breaking news on russian tv — claims that ukraine had fired six american atacms missiles into russia's bryansk region, though no reports of casualties. the response from russian�*s foreign minister... ..sergei lavrov said the missile attack was a signal that the west wants to escalate the conflict. but is this escalation by russia? published today, a kremlin decree lowering the nuclear threshold. russia now reserving the right to go nuclear, even if attacked by conventional weapons, if such an attack threatens russia's sovereignty

or territorial integrity. president putin had promised changes to the nuclear doctrine weeks ago, a clear signal to europe and america not to let ukraine strike russia with long—range missiles. then an even clearer signal. russian nuclear exercises, a warning to the west not to cross russia's red lines. but the key question — in russia's war on ukraine, would vladimir putin use a nuclear weapon? i think it's quite serious, because even putin doesn't know whether he can use nukes or he can't. it depends on his emotions. we know that he's a very emotional man, and the decision to begin this war was also an emotional step. the lowering of the nuclear threshold does not mean that vladimir putin is about to press

the nuclear button. these changes are designed, i think, at the very least, to put pressure on western leaders, who will now have to decide, is putin bluffing or not? earlier, at the museum of victory, the kremlin kick—started commemorations for next year's 80th anniversary of the end of world war ii. not a word was said here about the 1,000 days of russia's war in ukraine — a war which, for the kremlin, hasn't gone at all to plan, but which it remains determined to win. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. kong court sentenced 45 pro—democracy activist to jail in what the european union is calling an unprecedented bow to freedom. w , , freedom. the activists were sentenced _ freedom. the activists were sentenced to _ freedom. the activists were sentenced to jail _ freedom. the activists were sentenced to jail time, - sentenced to jail time, spending four to ten years after organising a vote to pick opposition candidates for local elections. the city's largest

rail under the national security law beijing imposed in response to pro—democracy demonstrations in 2019. the british government says hong kong is using the security law to criminalise political dissent. the us australian various human rights groups have condemned the jails as evidence of political shrinking restrictions and there will be new visa restrictions on those who participated in the sentencing. hong kong's security secretary said the sentences reflected the severity of the crime. the lawyer identified in the judgment as a mastermind of the pines received one of the longer sentences. many of those that were sentenced had already been imprisoned. joining me now is a hong kong activist living in exile in the us, the executive director of the hong kong democracy council, pro—democracy organisation based in the united states. thank you for being with us. i just want your reaction to the sentencing. just want your reaction to the sentencing-— sentencing. definitely, it is a rave sentencing. definitely, it is a grave human _ sentencing. definitely, it is a grave human rights - sentencing. definitely, it is a|

grave human rights violation, we must not forget that. and of course, some people are saying that the sentencing is a bit lighter than what they expected. but at the same time, altogether, the 45 sentencing composed of more than 2900 months injail. and at the composed of more than 2900 months in jail. and at the same time, i think the sentencing is an all—out assault on to hong kong's pro—democracy movement in the past two decades. because among the a5, they are politicians, activists, legal scholars, reporters from all walks of life, all generations across a huge spectrum of political beliefs, but they are all jailed. political beliefs, but they are alljailed. so that goes to say how much the hong kong government is intending and determined to release political dissent in hong kong. he determined to release political dissent in hong kong.- dissent in hong kong. he said some were — dissent in hong kong. he said some were bracing _ dissent in hong kong. he said some were bracing sing - dissent in hong kong. he said some were bracing sing for i dissent in hong kong. he saidj some were bracing sing for -- some were bracing sing for —— bracing for even harsher sentences. do you think china or hong kong were trying to send a message here?- or hong kong were trying to send a message here? they are definitely trying _ send a message here? they are definitely trying to _ send a message here? they are definitely trying to send - send a message here? they are definitely trying to send a - definitely trying to send a strong message not only to hong

kongers, but people around the world the hong kong government will not back down from abusing human rights in hong kong. and they will not stop their efforts in really stopping hong kongers in voicing out any political dissent and that includes those still in hong kong, though still trying to find a way to continue their efforts in organising and educating the next generation of hong kongers. the educating the next generation of hong kongers.— of hong kongers. the chinese government — of hong kongers. the chinese government has _ of hong kongers. the chinese government has said - of hong kongers. the chinese government has said this - of hong kongers. the chinese government has said this was| government has said this was about national security, chinese ministry spokesperson saying no and can engage in illegal activities in the name of democracy and attempt to escape legal punishment —— no and can engage. escape legal punishment -- no and can engage-— escape legal punishment -- no and can engage. your response to that? there _ and can engage. your response to that? there is _ and can engage. your response to that? there is nothing - to that? there is nothing illegal about standing for election and trying to organise an election. about representing people's voices in an election. so it is a pile of unreasonable statements from the chinese government. statements from the chinese government-— statements from the chinese government. some 45 people sentenced — government. some 45 people sentenced to _ government. some 45 people sentenced to prison _ government. some 45 people sentenced to prison including | sentenced to prison including some really high—profile

pro—democracy activists. how do you think this is going to affect the democracy movement within hong kong? that definitely _ within hong kong? that definitely has _ within hong kong? that definitely has sent - within hong kong? that definitely has sent a - within hong kong? thatl definitely has sent a very strong, chilling effect across the hong kong civil society. you see people like bernie tie and joshua wong getting sentenced and they have been the iconic figureheads for the hong kong movements for the past four years. so definitely, people are not encouraged to go out and to speak voices any more. and even today, people in hong kong feel they do not have the power or the right to mourn the power or the right to mourn the sentencing is, just because of how grave and strongly the government is intending to crack down on all political dissent. , ., ~ crack down on all political dissent. ~ , dissent. do you think people would be _ dissent. do you think people would be afraid _ dissent. do you think people would be afraid to _ dissent. do you think people would be afraid to come - dissent. do you think people would be afraid to come out| dissent. do you think people - would be afraid to come out and show support? would be afraid to come out and show sunport?— show support? definitely. we see a lot of — show support? definitely. we see a lot of people _ show support? definitely. we see a lot of people trying - show support? definitely. we see a lot of people trying to l see a lot of people trying to speak indirectly on line. they say, ifeel sad today. they don't dare to say, i feel sad because of the sentencing, and that goes to show how much the

chilling effect has played a role in a hong kong community. there are more than 1900 political prisoners in hong kong and that is not something you saw five years ago. and that shows how quickly everything is declining and how the hong kong government has really spoilt hong kong —— a comprehensive to pain —— comprehensive to pain —— comprehensive campaign against democracy. comprehensive campaign against democra . comprehensive campaign against democracy-— democracy. there was campaign toda and democracy. there was campaign today and nancy _ democracy. there was campaign today and nancy pelosi - democracy. there was campaign today and nancy pelosi gave - democracy. there was campaign today and nancy pelosi gave a l today and nancy pelosi gave a speech, how would you like to see national governance including the us respond? especially the us government should impose sanctions on to these human rights abuses. the state department has already talked about considering visa restrictions, but we think that is not enough because we have passed the gestation that allows sanctioning in 2019 and we are seeing the bigger sentencing yesterday. why is the government not considering the government not considering the sanctioning ofjudges, prosecutors and officials from the hong kong sar government who are responsible for this? so we definitely request and

urge sanctioning hong kong officials. ., . officials. you are living in exile here _ officials. you are living in exile here in _ officials. you are living in| exile here in washington, officials. you are living in - exile here in washington, the hong kong government has issued an arrest warrant, they have put a bounty on your head as well. how much do you think about your own personal safety on days like today?— on days like today? definitely, i think i am — on days like today? definitely, i think i am being _ on days like today? definitely, i think i am being watched - on days like today? definitely, i think i am being watched a i i think i am being watched a lot of the times. i think we always have to be prepared that someone could launch an attack against us at any moment. my faces are out there, my photos, my names are out there and having a bounty means that everyone who is pro—ccp can be someone who wants to kidnap me or salt us for speaking up for human rights. so we do worry about ourfreedom or human rights. so we do worry about our freedom or security every single day. but at the same time, we are deciding that we will continue to fight for human rights and democracy and that's why it's important for the us government to join us and to supporters as well. thank you forjoining us in the

studio. a hong kong activist and director of the hong kong democracy council in the us. thank you. around the world and across the uk, you're watching bbc news. let's take a closer look now at the big story in the uk. britain's labour government is only a small number of farms will be affected by a new tax, but some farmers say the plans would be catastrophic for an industry already struggling. there is no doubt it has been a challenging few years for farmers, the cost of few fooled, fuel, fertiliser have been rocketing. for example, pig farming costs have gone up 54% since 2019. cow farmer servicing costs rise by 44% and

even cereals have seen an increase in costs of 43%. t’tz�* increase in costs of 4396. tv presenter — increase in costs of 43%. tv presenterjeremy clarkson was among those marching at whitehall saying it is the end for farmers. whitehall saying it is the end forfarmers. it is whitehall saying it is the end for farmers. it is estimated about 500 of the 210,000 farms in the uk will be affected. you're live with bbc news. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu visited central gaza, vowing to eliminate hamas from the territory. he also announced a $5 million reward for each hostage still been held in gaza. and he said israel had not given up efforts to find them. some 97 hostages are still believed to be in gaza, from the 251 that were intially kidnapped by hamas last year, on october 7th. mr netanyahu had this message for his troops. translation: here in the centre of the strip and in all parts - of the strip, they have achieved excellent results

in our important goal. hamas will not rule gaza. we are eliminating its military capabilities in a very impressive way. we are moving on to governmental capabilities and the hand is outstretched. hamas will not be in gaza. meanwhile, israel continues to strike what it says are hezbollah targets in southern lebanon and the capital, beirut. a top us envoy is currently in lebanon, working to broker a ceasefire deal between the two sides. the bbc�*s hugo bachega is following from beirut. amos hochstein has been leading the biden administration's efforts for a ceasefire in the conflict between israel and hezbollah. and the fact that he came here to beirut was seen as an indication of progress in these talks. here, he had meetings with senior lebanese officials, including parliament speaker nabih berri, who has been supported by hezbollah, to negotiate with these international mediators. amos hochstein said they had very constructive talks and now was a real opportunity to bring an end to this conflict.

now, the lebanese authorities say that any deal should be limited to the terms of the united nations resolution 1701. this is the resolution that ended the conflict between hezbollah and israel back in 2006. it requires hezbollah to remove its fighters and weapons from areas near the border with israel. now, the israeli authorities are making demands — demands that the lebanese say are unacceptable. it wants the right to act inside lebanon if there is any violation of the deal. there's also the idea of an international mechanism to monitor the implementation of this deal. now, these talks are now, these talks are expected to continue. expected to continue. at the same time, we've seen, at the same time, we've seen, in the past week, an escalation in the past week, an escalation in israel's air strikes in israel's air strikes across lebanon, including distinguished professor across lebanon, including here in central beirut. here in central beirut. the israelis are describing the israelis are describing this as a strategy of this as a strategy of "negotiations under fire", "negotiations under fire", and they say this and they say this

is going to continue. is going to continue. joining me live is mara rudman, joining me live is mara rudman, distinguished professor at the university of virginia's miller center. she is a former state department official in the office of the special envoy for middle east peace. thanks forjoining us on bbc news. we are hearing optimistic signals out of lebanon in terms of ceasefire deal. does a ceasefire look like it is imminent between hezbollah and israel? ~ ., ~ imminent between hezbollah and israel? ~ ., ,, ., israel? well, thank you for havin: israel? well, thank you for having me- _ israel? well, thank you for having me. it— israel? well, thank you for having me. it was - israel? well, thank you for| having me. it was obviously noteworthy that amos hochstein held the press conference he did today and that he talked about a deal being within the grasp of the parties. i'm sure, i have known hochstein for a long time, i'm sure that was very deliberate language. but imminent may still... the stretch to a final agreement could still not happen. you can be close, it can be within your grasp and as we have seen from numerous deals that have fallen

apart in terms of the hostages in gaza, it is not done until it is done. i very much hope we are close to getting it done this time. are close to getting it done this time-— are close to getting it done this time. when you look at this, what _ this time. when you look at this, what are _ this time. when you look at this, what are the - this time. when you look at this, what are the biggest l this, what are the biggest obstacles right now to a deal actually getting done? i think the challenges _ actually getting done? i think the challenges as _ actually getting done? i think the challenges as i _ actually getting done? i thinkl the challenges as i understand what has been reported about the terms of the deal is that it goes back to un resolution 1701, which means that hezbollah withdrawals to beyond the 1530 00:16:3