In the war in ukraine. It is their direct participation and this, of course, significantly changes the very essence and the very nature of the conflict. This will mean that nato countries are at war with russia. Meanwhile, moscow's defence ministry says its forces have recaptured 10 settlements over the past two days and that ukraine's military has suffered heavy casualties. But president zelensky says kyiv anticipated russia's counteroffensive and knows how to respond. As russian troops continue to push back against ukrainian forces in kursk, the international committee of the red cross says says three of its workers were killed in an air strike. A spokesperson said the icrc is outraged by the attack. The bbc�*s ukraine correspondent james waterhouse is following reaction from kyiv. Attacks like this or humanitarian vehicles being struck in this way is rare. I think a couple of months ago we saw a vehicle belonging to the international food kitchen get hit. But this is certainly — certainly looks like a severe situation. Two people have been injured, three killed, as you say, as a team from the international red cross were giving out coal and fire to a village which really is close to the front line. And when you're within io—20km, there's always the looming threat of either drone or missile attacks or artillery strikes as well. It's a reminder of the risks now. We've spoken to the icrc, who say they're heartbroken. We have a statement here, actually, from its president, miranda spoljaric, and she says, i condemn attacks on red cross personnel in the strongest possible terms. It's unconscionable that shelling should hit an aid distribution site. Our hearts are broken. This tragedy unleashes a wave of grief all too familiar to those who have lost loved ones in armed conflict. The kremlin has yet to respond. It's not being reported inside russia on state tv there, but it's certainly a bleak day for those humanitarian teams that continue to work in really quite dangerous parts of the conflict zone. I talked with the bbc�*s political editor chris mason, who's just flown in with sir keir starmer. Chris, tell me what he said on that flight about the current conflict between ukraine and russia. We had a chance to talk to the prime minister in a huddle or what we call a huddle, all of the reporters on the plane crowd around the prime minister and ask questions and we do not record it on camera because it is too noisy but we can quote what the prime minister is saying and key amongst the questions we put was seeking his reaction to the remarks from president putin and i was struck, from someone who has only been in office for a couple of months, how defiant he was, insisting in response to what president putin has said that he started it, but russia started the conflict, but russia could end the conflict and that ukraine had a right to self—defence. Now, where the language became much more guarded — and this is consistent with what we have heard in washington and amongst key�*s other western allies — is a more guarded language around the proposed use of the storm shadow missiles, anglo—french missiles, into russian territory —— kyiv�*s. There seems to be a move in that direction but there's been long—standing nervousness about it being provocative. We can clearly see how it has provoked president putin although how might he actually respond were they to be used, it would appear we are edging towards a decision being taken to allow kyiv, as it has long wanted to, to use these missiles well into russia. �* ,,. ,. , , russia. And keir starmer as well as the _ russia. And keir starmer as well as the foreign russia. And keir starmer as well as the foreign ministeri well as the foreign minister david lammy are also using iran and the fact they are now supplying weapons to russia as a kind ofjustification as well? are they building up a case, does it feel like? looking uppercase and building up looking uppercase and building up a public case because we've discovered in the last few days courtesy of western countries starting to publish intelligence about ukraine being supplied within weapons and that is part of the case for those who are making the case that ukraine needs more help in defending itself. The sense that ukraine has a hand behind its back in that it is not able to hit the very spots from which missiles and other weapons are coming from russia into ukraine. It weapons are coming from russia into ukraine. — into ukraine. It is quite a calculation _ into ukraine. It is quite a calculation though into ukraine. It is quite a calculation though that l into ukraine. It is quite a. Calculation though that sir keir starmer is making, if they agree to this. They are essentially saying they think president putin is bluffing when he makes these threats because they have been bred once before that have been crossed and he has not made good on some of the threats he has made there a pretty big calculation —— red lines. It is calculation red lines. It is a hue calculation red lines. It is a huge calculation _ calculation red lines. It is a huge calculation and calculation red lines. It is a huge calculation and yes i calculation —— red lines. It 3 a huge calculation and yes they can point to other red lines as you say the president putin has not crossed the president putin is saying explicitly on camera that in his view, the difference here, compared with, say, a western tank that may have crossed the border into russia, he is making an argument to say look, this isn'tjust handing these isn't just handing these missiles isn'tjust handing these missiles to ukraine and ukraine chooses how to use them, they require western technology and expertise for their deployment and sorrow, the case is made by moscow that is a direct intervention into the conflict by nato countries. Therefore, so goes the argument, drawing the argument, drawing those countries into direct so goes the argument, drawing those countries into direct conflict with moscow. Little conflict with moscow. Little wonder, perhaps, this is not wonder, perhaps, this is not happened so far because of the happened so far because of the concerns of escalation so, yes, concerns of escalation so, yes, it is a big, big strategic it is a big, big strategic moment. Moment. The first round of a un the first round of a un campaign to vaccinate children campaign to vaccinate children in gaza against polio in gaza against polio has ended. The world health organization has ended. The world health organization says it's confident it has says it's confident it has reached its target of 90% reached its target of 90% of children under 10 years old. Of children under 10 years old. Carried out in three stages, carried out in three stages, the operation was aimed the operation was aimed at preventing a potential at preventing a potential polio outbreak. Polio outbreak. The un launched the health the un launched the health campaign after a io—month—old campaign after a io—month—old baby was diagnosed with baby was diagnosed with the first case of polio virus the first case of polio virus seen in gaza in more seen in gaza in more than 25 years. Than 25 years. But people in gaza but people in gaza are still facing daily are still facing daily attack by israeli forces. Israel's military released a list of 18 people killed in an air strike on a school sheltering displaced palestinians in central gaza on wednesday. It says that half of those killed were members of hamas' military wing. While the bbc has not been able to verify the list, the un disputes that claim. Hamas denies using civilian kids in gaza the think kids in gaza face the moment?— moment? it's a great achievement, moment? it's a great achievement, the moment? it's a great achievement, the vaccination is making the progress it has made and especially the most critical and complicated phases, the kids in the north with about 200,000 kids in the north of gaza who need the vaccine and the fact the campaign started two days ago and we've been distracted with the attack on the school in mr abbott in addition to food and medical care, it is not polio, it is skin diseases that you see, we see every day in north gaza in the south, over lack of hygiene and sanitary conditions —— nuseirat. They create issues for kids and unrwa the largest humanitarian actor which works in partnership with unicef and the world health organization and fortunately, we feel that the polio vaccination campaign has gone better than anticipated. It's hundred and 40,000 children in gaza are on the way to be vaccinated and i believe now with it 400,000 sciberras 200,000 left —— 649,000. Sciberras 200,000 left 649,000. — sciberras 200,000 left 649,000. ~. , ~ ,. , , 649,000. Workers have been killed in nuseirat _ 649,000. Workers have been killed in nuseirat and 649,000. Workers have been killed in nuseirat and the 649,000. Workers have been | killed in nuseirat and the head of unrwa told bbc he believes un facilities are being deliberately targeted as well. I wanted to play you the response of an interview we did a short time ago that israel's economy minister to that allegation. — economy minister to that allegation. Economy minister to that alleuation. ~. . ,. , economy minister to that alleuation. ~. ,. ,. ,. , allegation. What we want to do is 'ust no allegation. What we want to do isiust go after— allegation. What we want to do is just go after the _ isjust go after the terrorists. And the challenge we have _ terrorists. And the challenge we have is that the terrorists are hiding under these civilians. They put all their terror _ civilians. They put all their terror infrastructure as part of the — terror infrastructure as part of the civilian infrastructure. In schools, mosques, houses, hospitals _ in schools, mosques, houses, hospitals. And they will not et hospitals. And they will not get away. We will do everything we can— get away. We will do everything we can do— get away. We will do everything we can do not hurt innocent civilians _ we can do not hurt innocent civilians. No other army is doing _ civilians. No other army is doing everything in the world doing everything in the world do not — doing everything in the world do not hurt innocent civilians. This_ do not hurt innocent civilians. This is— do not hurt innocent civilians. This is an _ do not hurt innocent civilians. This is an allegation we hear all the time from idf and is robert hamas militants are hiding among the civilian population. —— idf that hamas militants. Population. Idf that hamas militants— militants. Just because they sa it militants. Just because they say it does _ militants. Just because they say it does not _ militants. Just because they say it does not make militants. Just because they say it does not make it militants. Just because they| say it does not make it true. It's about the evidence. Unrwa pushes back when there is allegations like this. It's not serious. Unrwa is not part of the conflict and we are not part of the organisation but we continue to be targeted with 70% of targets —— infrastructure by unrwa has been targeted. Some of them are teachers, educators running the shelter and unrwa disputes these allegations again like we have disputed them in april and injanuary and we still do that and it is unfortunate, even prior to this the vaccination, we talked about they started a convoy for eight hours —— stopped a convoy. It is a campaign against unrwa and everyone in the us understands the israelis have an issue with unrwa it is the largest actor inside gaza and it is effectively the palestinian working class and all of those palestinian doctors and engineers and teachers work for unrwa, obviously it is a large body, there is any irregularities unrwa have been transparent, addressed those and announce the result of the investigations. The israelis continue to make this and you know it is not because they feared it doesn't have to be true, we make sure to work to not do that and we want to have the infrastructure and the question is 12,000 people are sheltering in the school. They shouldn't be sheltering in that school in the first place. It's because israel destroyed homes and asked them to shelter there and asked them to shelter there and now they go and vomit and it isn't the first time they have bombed a school, this is a straight number five and it was two, not one air strikes, so this is deliberate and i want the kids to survive, if you kids were killed in the air strike, at least two kids, in addition to the unrwa star. Haw addition to the unrwa star. How do ou addition to the unrwa star. How do you know — addition to the unrwa star. How do you know the _ addition to the unrwa star. How do you know the allegation that israel is deliberately inaudible unrwa denied by the israeli government and the idf but i want to quickly ask you family, friends, colleagues in gaza at the moment, they have any faith in the moment in international diplomacy coming up international diplomacy coming up with a ceasefire? unfortunately no. Obviously if we talk about the vaccine, ceasefire is the best vaccine right now. Not getting that, families are still starved in north gaza, they are still under and strikes and bombardment and it's unfortunate that we have given up, we're waiting for this to play out and nobody is answering the call for a ceasefire and every day is a ending nightmare. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Let's look at some other stories making news. Scotland's only oil refinery will close next year with the loss of 400 jobs. Petroineos, the owners of the grangemouth plant, says the site will be transformed into an import terminal. The unite union called the closure an act of industrial vandalism. Petroineos says the refinery was unable to compete with sites in asia, africa and the middle east. The government says a ban onjunk food adverts being shown on television before 9pm will come into force in october 2025 as part of an effort to improve public health. Online adverts for products that are high in fat, salt and sugar will be banned altogether. The bearskin caps worn by soldiers outside buckingham palace now cost more than £2,000 each, figures from the ministry of defence show. The cost of the caps soared by 30% over a year, according to figures released after a freedom of information request from people for the ethical treatment of animals. The animal welfare group calls it a financial as well as an ethical issue. The mod said it's open to exploring faux fur. You're live with bbc news. In what donald trump's legal team is treating as a victory, a judge in georgia dismissed two criminal charges against the former president for alleged attempts to interfere in the state's 2020 election. The remaining eight charges in the case will still move forward. Separately, the republican presidential nominee on thursday ruled outjoining another presidential debate with his democratic rival kamala harris — that's after the vice president told supporters in north carolina she was up for a rematch. Two nights ago, donald trump and i had ourfirst debate. . . Cheering and applause. . And i believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate! cheering and applause but later in the day, mr trump said two debates — first with presidentjoe biden and then, after he dropped out of the race, tuesday's debate against ms harris were more than enough. When a prizefighter loses a fight — you've seen a lot of fights, right? — the first words out of that fighter�*s mouth is, i want a rematch! that's what she said — i want a rematch! polls clearly show i won the debate against comrade kamala harris. Because we have done two debates and they were successful, there will be no third debate. Vice president harris has marginally extended her slim lead over donald trump nationally since the debate. She currently leads 47% to 42% among registered voters — that's according to the latest reuters/ipsos poll. However, in swing states which are most crucial in deciding the election, polling shows the two nominees are neck and neck. Pennsylvania is one of those hotly contested states — and it was, of course, the site of this week's presidential debate. Our sumi somaskanda is there. Talking to doylestown. It is an historic and wealthy small town. In the spotlight in a big election. In this battleground states, politics are neverfar from the surface. States, politics are never far from the surface. — states, politics are never far from the surface. Too big, too small orjust _ from the surface. Too big, too small orjust right? _ from the surface. Too big, too small orjust right? including l small or 'ust right? including for small orjust right? including forjames — small orjust right? including forjames and _ small orjust right? including forjames and tracy, small orjust right? including forjames and tracy, one forjames and tracy, one evolution candy. Forjames and tracy, one evolution candy. The obvious candidate — evolution candy. The obvious candidate is _ evolution candy. The obvious candidate is the _ evolution candy. The obvious candidate is the smart candidate is the smart candidate, i don't even like saying the other guy's name, is a convicted felon and how is he even allowed to be on the ticket?. ,. ,. , ticket? omit the afternoon after school _ ticket? omit the afternoon after school sugar ticket? omit the afternoon after school sugar rush, i ticket? omit the afternoon i after school sugar rush, tracy tells us she believes there is only one choice in this election. — only one choice in this election. �*. , election. We've obtained certain rights _ election. We've obtained certain rights over election. We've obtained certain rights over the i election. We've obtained i certain rights over the years and i believe that they are slowly being taken away with things like the overturning of roe v wade. I believe the trump side of things is trying to pull us backwards. This side of things is trying to pull us backwards. As the election _ pull us backwards. As the election remains pull us backwards. As the election remains on i pull us backwards. As the election remains on a i pull us backwards. As the l election remains on a knife edge, all eyes will be on the critical swing state of pennsylvania and counties just like this one. Bucks county voted forjoe biden in 2020 and it has a republican member of congress. We spoke to some residents who told us they want to see a change in november. Central box west. . Is to see a change in november. Central box west. . — central box west. . Is ten minutes _ central box west. . Is ten minutes down _ central box west. . Is ten minutes down the i central box west. . Is ten minutes down the road l central box west. . Is ten | minutes down the road in chalfont, scott stokes who runs a pest control business for 35 years has a different picture of what is at stake in this election. Of what is at stake in this election— election. That's the most recent one _ election. That's the most recent one but _ election. That's the most recent one but if election. That's the most recent one but if you i election. That's the most| recent one but if you want election. That's the most i recent one but if you want to see my trump shrine, i might be one of the few business owners who has a picture of the president. Mugs. I even have him talking to you. Together, we will make _ him talking to you. Together, we will make america him talking to you. Together, we will make america great l we will make america great again! _ we will make america great alain!. ,. . , , we will make america great aaain!. , ,. ,. , again! financially, all of the rices again! financially, all of the prices are — again! financially, all of the prices are up. _ again! financially, all of the prices are up. Gasoline i again! financially, all of the prices are up. Gasoline is i again! financially, all of the | prices are up. Gasoline is up. Taxes are never ending. I get constantly. My fear is if harris becomes president, it will be the final flush of the toilet. If donald trump as president, i know he knows business and i know he would know how to cut the fat and cut the waste. Know how to cut the fat and cut the waste— the waste. This chalfont family diner, an institution _ the waste. This chalfont family diner, an institution in the waste. This chalfont family diner, an institution in the i diner, an institution in the neighbourhood, the cost of living and election are on the minds of regulars. I living and election are on the minds of regulars. — living and election are on the minds of regulars. I think that it needs to — minds of regulars. I think that it needs to be _ minds of regulars. I think that it needs to be easier minds of regulars. I think that it needs to be easier for i it needs to be easier for people to pay their rent, it needs to be easier for people to buy groceries, it is to be easier to get an education it needs to be easier to get healthcare and i didn't hear answers to any of those four questions. Ifeel like answers to any of those four questions. I feel like the policy answers are not being given by either candidate. A, given by either candidate. A reminder that this county and this state will be fought one vote at a time. The nigerian military and emergency workers are using boats to rescue people trapped in areas hit by flooding in the northeast of the country. Thousands of homes were swept away in borno state when a dam overflowed. A bbc reporter in the city of maiduguri has seen dead bodies floating in the floodwaters. Officials say more than 400,000 people have been displaced in the city with many of those people already fleeing their homes in other parts of the state as a result of the islamist insurgency in northeast nigeria. Azeezat olaoluwa has this report from maiduguri. It's been three days since maiduguri got flooded due to the bursting of the dam. I've been to at least four communities down the road there, where hundreds of people are trapped. They feel helpless, frustrated and hungry because they are forced to sleep outside on the streets. I saw two dead bodies floating on the floodwater. Authorities are now worried that there could be a outbreak of waterborne diseases after the waters recede. Such a rescue is still ongoing but displaced people in the settlement camps we've been to are complaining that they do not have enough food to eat and the necessary supplies. Azeezat olaoluwa, bbc news, maiduguri. Let's turn to some other important news around the world. Manhattan prosecutors announced on thursday that disgraced hollywood producer harvey weinstein is indicted on additional sex crimes charges. The associated press reported that prosecutors began presenting evidence to a grand jury last week that included up to three additional allegations against weinstein. Weinstein's lawyers responded saying they will defend whatever comes their way. The indictment, which lists the full charges, will remain under seal until weinstein's arraignment on wednesday. The us issued new sanctions on 16 allies of venezuela's president, nicolas maduro on thursday. The country is accusing them of obstructing venezuela's presidential election and aiding in the crackdown that followed. Those sanctioned include members of venezuela's supreme court and the country's electoral council. Several western and latin american countries have rejected the election results, citing a lack of transparency. The venezuelan government called the sanctions a new crime of aggression. And this is a look at the pope in singapore. Earlier on thursday, the pontiff called on people to treat one another with fairness and without discrimination. It's the first papal visit to singapore since 1986. About 50,000 people filled the national stadium for the service. Hundreds of miles above earth, a bit of history has been made after two non—professional astronauts completed a privately funded spacewalk with help from two other crew. Until recently, it's been governments which have backed space exploration but the tech entrepreneurjared isaacman teamed up with elon musk�*s spacex to finance the groundbreaking venture. Here's our science correspondent pallab ghosh with more. Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do but from here, earth sure looks like a perfect world. Historic words for an historic moment. Out comes the first private sector astronaut to walk in space. Silhouetted in earth's orbit, billionaire jared isaacman paid millions of dollars for this experience. He remains partly in the capsule, so more baby steps than a walk in space, but the chance to move around in the newly developed spacesuit to test its mobility. The entire operation is two hours, so we've just got to see how everything progresses through it. We don't need very long out there and, frankly, other than the test matrix, we're not building structures on the international space station or repairing anything, so as soon as we get the data that we have, we'll cycle another crew member in and out. That other crewmember is mission specialist sarah gillis. It's her first time in space and she's already making history, standing outside the dragon capsule. Most crewed spacecraft have an airlock, which is a sealed door between the vacuum of space and the rest of the spacecraft. Normally, it's depressurised when astronauts go in and out. But dragon doesn't have an airlock, so the entire craft has to be depressurised. The non—spacewalking astronauts have to be fully suited up and strapped into their chairs, and extra nitrogen and oxygen have to be added to repressurise the capsule when the spacewalk is over. The astronauts blasted off on tuesday, going further into space since the apollo moon missions of the 1960s and �*70s. Their spacecraft reached a maximum altitude of 870 miles above the earth. That's nearly 3. 5 times the distance to the international space station, which is 250 miles. Its orbit took a tour of space which higher in radiation called the van allen belt, which starts at about 600 miles. The astronauts were safe inside the spacecraft. The vessel then came below the radiation belt to 435 miles so the astronauts can carry out the spacewalk safely. Up until now, every single spacewalk that's happened has been professional astronauts through a government agency, either the soviets or the americans — the russians these days — and so to have the first one that's done commercially is a big step forward for the commercial space sector and it's going to push the boundaries of what they can do and it will extend their capabilities, and we're likely to see many more of these in the future. It was 60 years ago that the first person walked in space. Since then, it is only astronauts working for government space agency is to have done this. Until now, this is the first ever private sector crew to have walked in space. The aim is to reduce costs so that space travel can become more commonplace and humans can have a long—term presence on the moon, and possibly even on mars. Rather than stepping out of the spacecraft, next time, we might be stepping onto the surface of the moon, we might be building a research base and places for people to live for extended periods of time on the moon. You know, everything is incremental but there is realforward dimension now. The historic spacewalk now over and so many firsts already achieved, the crew's attention turns to carrying out experiments before beginning theirjourney home in two days' time. Pallab ghosh, bbc news. Rock star bon jovi has been praised for helping to talk a distressed woman off a bridge in tennessee. This video shows the frontman and his team and a woman bonjovi approaches, and then convinces her to climb back over the railing. He then hugs her. Police have praised the singer for preventing a tragedy and said it takes all of us to help keep each other safe. Stay with us here on bbc news. Hello. A cold friday morning. It is going to feel fresh when you step out of the front door. In fact, a touch of frost possible almost anywhere in the uk, certainly a ground frost and even an air frost in some areas. Now, from the motion of the cloud, you get a sense of where the air has come from — in fact, all the way from the arctic — and its spread across many parts of western and even central europe. But high pressure is now building across the uk, that means light winds and lots of sunshine from the word go and, of course, clear skies through the early hours. Just one or two showers maybe clipping eastern and western coasts. These are the city centre temperatures, so look at that — three degrees in birmingham. You go out of ,town it will be three degrees lower than that, so air frost in some areas and as low as —1 or —2 in northern england and scotland away from city centres. Lots of sunshine from the word go. Clouds all bubbling up a bit into the afternoon, those scattered fairweather cumulus cloud. Highs of 15 degrees typically. Now, later in the day, it looks as though it will turn hazy in northern ireland and also scotland. And that takes us into saturday. A weather front brushing the northwest of the uk, so the possibility of some rain later on, but the further east and south you are, the brighter it will be. And actually, really sunny on the channel coast, east anglia and into lincolnshire. And most of the north sea coast as well. The winds will change direction — by saturday, they will come in from the southwest. In fact by sunday, the milder air will have established itself across the uk, so temperatures once again start to nudge up to about 20 or so, but some of us will pay for it. In the south—westerlies, we often get weather fronts so there will be a few showers on sunday — but not everywhere, and there's certainly some sunny spells in the forecast. 18 in belfast once again, 17 in aberdeen. To the east of the pennines, not far off 20 celsius. High pressure expected to build across the uk on monday, which means light winds, prolonged spells of sunshine, which are expected to last for the days ahead. In fact, look at that — monday, tuesday, wednesday across the bulk of the uk, bright and fairly warm. Bye— bye. A auto voiceover: this is bbc news. We'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. Welcome to hardtalk. I'm stephen sackur. When israel fires missiles on gaza, it describes them as precision strikes aimed at hamas targets. What results is often catastrophic loss of life. It is beyond dispute that many of those killed are civilians. The toll on humanitarian relief workers is rising, too. In central gaza on wednesday, six un relief agency staff were killed in an israeli strike on a school turned into an emergency shelter for thousands of people. Unrwa's own death count is over 220. My guest is commissioner general of unwra, philippe lazzarini. Is his agency's mission now impossible?