Of the Chagos Islands, its last african colony, but the us and uk retain control of their military base. Im so missing must iam i am Sumi Somaskanda. We start with Breaking News of israeli Air Strikes in the lebanese capital, beirut, reportedly the Israel Defense forces say they were targeting a hezbollah senior official. The israeli military earlier called on civilians to flee. Were also following another developing story in the region, in the occupied West Bank. An israeli Air Strike on a Refugee Camp on thursday is reported to have killed at least 14 people. The idf confirmed in a Statement that it had carried out a strike in the Tulkarm Region and has just updated to say the strike killed a Hamas Commander they believe was resonsible for planning a number of attacks. Video shows a chaotic scene with people gathered outside a hospital and bodies being carried into the facility, after what palestinian officials said was a strike on a Refugee Camp. Violence has surged in the West Bank since the start of the war in gaza. Well bring you more information on both of these developing stories as it comes in. Turning back to lebanon, earlier in the day, israel carried out Air Raids against what it called hezbollah� s Intelligence Headquarters in southern beirut. Our middle East Correspondent Hugo bachega sent us this report. Another night in beirut and more israeli Air Strikes. War returns to this city. And this attack came with no warning. We went to inspect the damage. A residential building near the lebanese parliament. Beirut appears increasingly under threat. This is where an Emergency Response Group linked to hezbollah operated now gone. There were just Emergency Service workers. This is the truth. We only saw them helping people out, says mustafa, who lives on the tenth floor of the building hit. The damage in this building gives you a sense of the power of this attack, and theyve been cleaning up the rubble here, but we can still see some surgical masks and gloves and bandages as well. And you can probably hear the sound of drones flying overhead. This is a densely populated district here in central beirut. Hasan, a teacher, has lived in this neighbourhood for 2h years. There was no Hezbollah Presence here, military or civilian, he tells me. Hezbollah was not present here. These are some of the victims of the attack. Theyre looking across that Border And WWhatg Israeli theyre looking across that Border And W what is sraeli verify exactly what is happening there and bring you more information when we get that. We have seen the view from beirut. Our correspondent lucy our Correspondent Lucy Williamson has this Report Williamson has this report from the israel lebanon border. From the israel lebanon border. The communities along israels northern border are now the communities along israels northern border are now a closed military zone. A closed military zone. The road in takes you the road in takes you through line of sight through line of sight from hezbollah positions. From hezbollah positions. Israeli forces outnumber israeli forces outnumber residents along this border many times over, residents along this border many times over, fresh out of lebanon, fresh out of lebanon, or waiting to go in. Or waiting to go in. We walked the last few we walked the last few metres to a Vantage Point metres to a Vantage Point in a near empty kibbutz. In a near empty kibbutz. We start to see the buildings we start to see the buildings weve taken out. Weve taken out. Buildings used by Border And Watching israeli buildings used by Hezbollah Lie broken. Hezbollah lie broken. Nearby, the town of bintjbeil, nearby, the town of bintjbeil, where Israels Army said where Israels Army said today it had killed today it had killed hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah has said it targeted hezbollah has said it targeted soldiers just over that hill. Were now very close to the lebanese border. Locals here tell us the first Hezbollah Village is about a mile or so away from here. For the past year, people here have looked across this Border And Watched hezbollah soldiers just over that hill. Fire rockets towards them. Now, for the first time in almost two decades, theyre looking across that years of having hezbollah sitting on our border, just waiting to do an October The 7th on us, but, you know, my son is in the army, and do we want our kids being in there slaughtered where hezbollah have been waiting for this for nearly 20 years . Theyve been waiting for us to go in. Both israels previous both israels previous Ground Wars here began as limited incursions. Ground wars here began as limited incursions. The risks of getting the risks of getting mired in lebanon mired in lebanon familiar terrain for those familiar terrain for those who trod this path before. Who trod this path before. Lucy williamson, Bbc News, lucy williamson, Bbc News, the israel lebanon border. The israel lebanon border. The ongoing crisis in the ongoing crisis in the Middle East is threatening the Middle East is threatening to have major economic impacts, to have major economic impacts, particularly when it particularly when it comes to oil. Comes to oil. The price of Crude Oil the price of Crude Oil shot up 5 today after shot up 5 today after us president Joe Biden told us president Joe Biden told Reporters the us was Reporters the us was discussing the possibility discussing the possibility of Israel StrikingIrans Oil industry, in response of Israel StrikingIrans Oil industry, in response to tehran Firing Missiles to tehran Firing Missiles at israel on tuesday. At israel on tuesday. Do you support Israel Striking do you support Israel StrikingIrans Oil facilities, sir . Irans oil facilities, sir . Were discussing that. Were discussing that. I think that would be a i think that would be a little. Anyway. Little. Anyway. Joanne held cummings is adjunct Joanne Held Cummings is adjunct Professor And DirectorProfessor And Director of Middle Eastern studies of Middle Eastern studies at Baylor University at Baylor University in waco, texas. In waco, texas. She was previously a senior she was previously a senior us diplomat with postings us diplomat with postings in iraq and yemen. In iraq and yemen. Thank you forjoining us on Bbc News. How significant would it be if we were to see Israel Hit iranian Oil Sites . I be if we were to see Israel Hit iranian Oil Sites . Iranian Oil Sites . I think it would be iranian Oil Sites . I think it would be devastating iranian Oil Sites . I think it would be devastating not| iranian Oil Sites . I think it would be devastating notjust to iran but also to the Oil Sites in the region and the oil market, the Energy Market around the world. I mean, this would not be something that would not be something that would stop in one place, it would stop in one place, it would not be something that either israel or the united states would come out of unscathed, and i mean that economically. In terms of whether it would actually be effective in changing iranian views, i think its important to look at iran as a country as opposed to cynthia target. I actually went to High School there, so im very familiar with the country there, so im very familiar with the cour out a certain they did take out a certain stratum of leadership. Whether or not that is going to weaken the organisation as an ideological base, i think thats an open question. Whether it is actually effecting the ability of the organisation to communicate internally is another issue, again, so i think there are several different questions for me to say, is it weaker, will it go away . I dont think the strikes are heading in that direction. Will it be less able to conduct coordinated strike . I think thats very likely. But we are also looking at lebanon in terms of being, hezbollah being in terms of being in lebanon, and remember hezbollah was early forward because of the Israeli Occupation of south lebanon, so going back and may not be the most productive way of resolving hezbollah. Hezbollah has been a thorn in the side of the lebanese government, but its also part of the lebanese government. Thats my next question, actually. Hezbollah� s place in lebanon, because we spoke to a lebanese mp earlier this week and he said the people in lebanon are really mixed on what is happening. They did not give approval, lets say, to hezbollah to carry out strikes on israel since october eight, but they are also not happy with israel. Where do people in Lebanon Stand . With israel. Where do people in Lebanon Stand . Since i grew up in lebanon. Lebanon stand . Since i grew up in lebanon. I Lebanon Stand . Since i grew up in lebanon, i am Lebanon Stand . Since i grew up in lebanon, i am very Lebanon Stand . Since i grew up in lebanon, i am very aware Lebanon Stand . Since i grew up in lebanon, i am very aware of| in lebanon, i am very aware of how many different voices there are and i served in israel and im aware of how many different voices there are too, so talking about, the people, is problematic. I think that in this particular case, the more the strikes from israel are effecting a broad range of people, and when youre striking in the airport and you are effecting planes going in and out, and youre hitting buildings next to other buildings next to other buildings of the more people feel this is an attack on all of us as opposed to an attack on hezbollah, and he is really expectation that people are going to blaMe All of this on hezbollah, i think that does not take into account the very Human Response to, i am being bombed by those people and i dont like it the israeli expectation. Dont like it the israeli expectation. Dont like it the israeli exectation. ,. , expectation. One more question, joanne. Expectation. One more question, joanne do expectation. One more question, joanne do you expectation. One more question, joanne. Do you see expectation. One more question, joanne. Do you see any joanne. Do you see any opportunity here for De Escalation into whats happening . Deescalation into whats happening . Deescalation into whats happening . Deescalation into Whats Haueninu . � , happening . Always. There is alwa s happening . Always. There is always an happening . Always. There is always an opportunity happening . Always. There is always an opportunity for always an opportunity for De Escalation. In this particular case, if it is the israeli deal that they are going to do big strikes in lebanon in lieu of an attack on iran, then resolving things or coming things down in lebanon may allow the israeli government to say, ok, weve done a response, and we feel confident that its going to reduce the risk to our people, and so we are going to pull back up i think its worth going back and looking at the words ofjordanian Foreign Minister at the United Nations when he said, we are ready, we are ready to do peace. We need to have movement on the rights of palestinians. So that is one hope for De Escalation. If people pick up on that. Hope for deescalation. If people pick up on that. Joanne, thank you people pick up on that. Joanne, thank you so people pick up on that. Joanne, thank you so much people pick up on that. Joanne, thank you so much for people pick up on that. Joanne, thank you so much Forjoining L thank you so much forjoining us tonight on Bbc News, really good to get your perspective. My good to get your perspective. My pleasure. PresidentJoe Biden is visiting states in the southeastern us, where Hurricane Helene killed at least 200 people and caused historic damage. During his first stop in florida on thursday morning, the president received briefings from local and state officials on the response efforts. Since the category four Storm Hit florida one week ago, nearly 8,000 Military Personnel have been deployed to the region to help find those still missing and relocate displaced people. It says its given more than 20 Million in immediate assistance directly to civilians. Officials are expecting a long road to recovery. Just as he did in north carolina, the president was scheduled to take low altitude aerial tours in Florida And Georgia to survey the aftermath of the storm. Officials are expecting a long road to recovery. In soMe Areas, first responders are still waiting for floodwaters to drain before they can proceed with recovery efforts. Joining me live is patrick fitzsimmons, mayor of waverville, north carolina. First of all, how are you and your community doing . After a week of no your community doing . After a week of no power, your community doing . After a week of no power, no your community doing . After a week of no power, no water. Your community doing . After a | week of no power, no water and no Wi Fi or cell service, today has been a great day of progress, we were able to get our Water Plant up an online. And so now people have water in the faucet. That brings a sense of safety for people, so thats been a huge development for us. Weve had lots of Utility Trucks coming into our Town And Power is being slowly restored, so today was a good day. Today we started to see a little bit of recovery. We started to see a little bit of remery we started to see a little bit of recovery. Thats really good news, of recovery. Thats really good news. Mayor of recovery. Thats really good news, mayor. I of recovery. Thats really good news, mayor. I heard of recovery. Thats really good news, mayor. I heard you of recovery. Thats really good news, mayor. I heard you had| news, mayor. I heard you had set up a website where people could inquire about missing people and you were overwhelmed by requests. Can you tell us more about that . More about that . So, does unocchi more about that . So, does gnocchi medication, more about that . So, does gnocchi medication, so more about that . So, does gnocchi medication, so its| gnocchi medication, so its difficult for people here to call difference and relatives there is no communication here. Orthe there is no communication here. Or the reverse. We set up a website to take in requests and try and match of people. And today, as of today, its received over 13,000 requests, so people are very nervous because they Cant Community with their friends or relatives, but hopefully, as to munication to medication slowly improved. Things get better. What more do you need in the short term . What more do you need in the short term . ~. , short term . What we need mostly his medications short term . What we need mostly his medications his medications communications, because there is no Wi Fi, water is coming back on, power is coming back on, those are the important things. There are some in the community have lost their homes, but fema, the federal emergency management agency, worthier were here today. There were those people who property damage. Those people who property damaue. ~ ~ ,. , those people who property damaue. ~ ,. , damage. We keep hearing this is auoin to damage. We keep hearing this is going to be damage. We keep hearing this is going to be a damage. We keep hearing this is going to be a long damage. We keep hearing this is going to be a long road going to be a long road to recovery. What is your sense looking around your Community Coachella this is going to be a long time. We are lucky in our town that long time. We are lucky in our town that powers long time. We are lucky in 71. Town that powers coming on and luckily we were able to repair our Water Plant, which was under eight feet of water. The city next to me, asheville, looking at a month without water. This is very tragic for a city of that size. Its going to be a real problem. Luckily, we did not have many injuries here in weaverville, but the county i live in, we are now up to 72 deaths and we are expected that to climb. People were sleeping when the Hurricane Hit and it was, even though we are 300 miles inland, we had Hurricane Force winds and a tremendous amount of rain. As a result, people were asleep and their homes are washed away by the rivers of. Is reallyjust awful. Have you ever seen anything like this, mayor . Ever seen anything like this, ma or . ~ ever seen anything like this, ma or . ,. Ever seen anything like this, ma or . ~. ,. , ever seen anything like this, ma or . ,. , mayor . We anticipated a bad storm, mayor . We anticipated a bad storm. This mayor . We anticipated a bad storm, this is mayor . We anticipated a bad storm, this is much mayor . We anticipated a bad storm, this is much worse i mayor . We anticipated a bad l storm, this is much worse than we expected. It happens, my career was a Red Cross director, so i have seen a lot of unfortunate and tragic situations before, but this one feels a lot worse since its my home. I feels a lot worse since its my home. ,. ,. , home. I can understand that. Our Reporter home. I can understand that. Our Reporter has home. I can understand that. Our Reporter has been home. I can understand that. Our Reporter has been out. Home. I can understand that. | our Reporter has been out and about the damaged areas in north carolina. He has told us he is releasing people helping each other out, pitching in. That must be something youve witnessed as well. Nash mickey is releasing. It witnessed as well. Nash mickey is releasing is releasing. It is a beautiful thin. I is releasing. It is a beautiful thing. I have is releasing. It is a beautiful thing. I have had is releasing. It is a beautiful thing. I have had more is releasing. It is a beautiful thing. I have had more Sidewalk Conversations in the last six days than the last six years, i know my own neighbours better one store was giving away all their food, one store was giving away all theirfood, because its going to go bad anyway, but they were also preparing meals and passing out meals to people, and it is just passing out meals to people, and it isjust neighbours helping neighbours, and that has been a positive development and a strong sense of fellowship in our town. That is really great fellowship in our town. That is really great. One fellowship in our town. That is really great. One more really great. One more question. In the days and weeks ahead but how do you prepare yourself for this relief, Recovery And Rebuilding effort . One thing we have challenges with is, how do we give information to our citizens since communications are still, listen, i am talking to you on a starlink set up tonight, only the town has starlink, not our citizens. That will be the challenge next, making people are informed on how to get help. Are informed on how to get hel. A,. , are informed on how to get hel. , ~. , help. Mayor, thank you for oininu help. Mayor, thank you for joining us help. Mayor, thank you for joining us on help. Mayor, thank you for joining us On Bbc help. Mayor, thank you for joining us on Bbc News, i help. Mayor, thank you for i joining us on Bbc News, and help. Mayor, thank you for joining us on Bbc News, and all the best to you and your community. The best to you and your community around the world and across the uk, this is Bbc News. Now to some other stories making news. A woman has been found guilty of the manslaughter of her four sons, who died in a House Fire while she was out shopping. Deveca rose, who is 30, had left her two sets of twins alone when a fire ripped through her home in South West London in 2021. The boys, who were all under five years old, were unable to escape the locked house and died under a bed. A 35 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, in connection with a suspected Acid Attack outside a school in west london. Police say teagan Mcfarlane Whos14 has potentially Life Changing injuries as a result of the incident near Westminster Academy on monday. Two other people were also hurt a 16 year old boy and a Staff Member trying to help them. And a proposal to change the law to allow some terminally ill people in england and wales to end their own lives will be introduced to parliament later this month. Mps last voted on assisted dying ten years ago and rejected calls to legalise it. Prime Minister Sir Keir starmer has previously promised to give his own mps a free vote on the subject, meaning they will not have to stick to party lines. Youre live with Bbc News. The us says it welcomes an agreement for the uk to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to mauritius. It marks the end of more than 200 years of british control over the islands and follows years of negotiations. Mauritius has claimed sovereignty over the islands since its independence in 1968. The Chagos Archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean about 1,000 miles south of the indian subcontinent. Its made up of more than 60 mostly uninhabited islands. It was the uks last african colony. Under the agreement, the key island of Diego Garcia will remain home to a Joint Uk us military base. In the 1960s, the uk evicted about 1,500 local residents to make way for the airbase. Theyll now be allowed to return. Our correspondent Andrew Harding has more. A scattering of tiny islands deep in the Indian Ocean. British for now but, after todays agreement, not for much longer. The Chagos Islands are all uninhabited save for one, an important one Diego Garcia. It is home to a big and secretive american military base. Today, britain agreed to hand the whole archipelago over to mauritius but, crucially, The Americans will remain in place. This is a very, very important agreement between our countries. It crucially protects the national security interests of the united kingdom and our allies, and this has been reached in full agreement with the united states, retaining the crucial base on Diego Garcia. It also closes down a potential route for migrants. But some have warned that china could exploit the deal to extend its influence. It is over half a century since the inhabitants of the island were deported forcibly by the colonial power britain. This deal will now give them the right to return hoMe At last, perhaps even to resettle there. Its about a sense of belonging. Its something that was robbed from Me A place that we can call home. We will be free and we will be able to participate and get back what really belongs to us. Thats happiness. Mauritius has been campaigning for this dealfor years, recently planting their flag on one of the atolls, and winning growing international support, not least at the United Nations and its top court, which called on the uk to end its illegal occupation. Finally, negotiations began and, today, reluctantly but peacefully, the government agreed to hand over one of the very last scraps of britains old empire. Andrew harding, Bbc News. On his first visit to kyiv since becoming the head of nato, Mark Rutte said it is his priority to ensure that ukraine prevails in the war against russia. Speaking alongside president Volodymyr Zelensky on thursday, Mr Rutte said ukraines right to Self Defence does not stop at its borders. But he did not specifically endorse using long range western weapons against targets in russia, Something Kyiv has been pushing for. Mr zelensky criticised delays by allies in providing enough weapons, including long range artillery. Our correspondent Jessica Parker is in kyiv. Mark rutte clearly trying to make a Statement by visiting kyiv, visiting ukraine, literally a few days into his newjob as the Secretary General of the nato defensive military alliance. And he said he wanted to make it Crystal Clear that nato stands with ukraine. For kyiv, that show of solidarity will always be welcome, but i was at the Press Conference earlier with Mark Rutte and president zelensky. In terms of president zelensky, you could detect a bit of Frustration Seeping through there with certain allies, certain partner countries, particularly this issue of long range missiles. Ukraine has been seeking Permission But Hasnt got permission yet to use western made long range missiles on military targets inside russia. Now, president zelensky took his case to the us last week, where he met with president Joe Biden. He restated his case again today and linked ukraines need for more weapons and need for weapons to recent ukrainian losses on the battlefield. This week, ukrainian troops had to pull out in a town Called Vuhledar in the donetsk region. And he acknowledged this today, president zelensky. I asked him about that and he said, soldiers� lives are more important than buildings, and he said that it had the right step to take. But it was a blow for ukraine. This was a town that they had been defending basically since the beginning of russias full scale invasion. We just have some Breaking News on a story we have been following through the course of the day on that us port straight. The union says they are heading back to work for now. The international Longshoremens Association posted to stamann on facebook saying they. Posted a Statement. 45,000 115,000 port workers walked off thejob on tuesday, 115,000 port workers walked off the job on tuesday, the first major Work Stoppage of its time since 1977. The action threatened to Rick Chaos on a busy Holiday Shopping Season and for the coming president ial election. We will keep our eye on that story for you and bring updates as they come to us. We are back at the top of the next hour with an update on your headlines. I am Sumi Somaskanda in washington. Thank you for watching Bbc News and stay with us. Hello there. Its a dry, chilly, bright start to the day on friday for much of the country. However, we have been seeing some changes taking place overnight, with a Weather Front pushing into Northern Ireland and western scotland. Thats brought more cloud, breeze with outbreaks of rain, but elsewhere, it stays dry all day thanks to this area of High Pressure. This is the Weather Front thats been working its way in off The Atlantic. The first of a series of fronts tied in with low pressure there. So a cloudy start, breezy, outbreaks of rain for Northern Ireland, western and northern scotland. But southern and Eastern Scotland, england and wales, its a chilly start, bright, some early Mist And Fog, and it stays dry with sunshine into the afternoon. Light winds, as you can see, but breezier further north and west. Temperature wise, well, after that chilly start, we could be up to 17 or 18 degrees in the warmest spots in the south, closer to the mid teens further north. And where we have the breeze, The Cloud and The Rain, it will actually feel quite cool. As we head through friday night, it stays cloudy breezy across northern and western areas, but large parts of england and wales will see lighter winds, clear skies, so, again, it will turn quite cool. Perhaps a bit of Mist And Fog here and there. Temperatures in low single digits out of town, but a recovery in temperatures for scotland, Northern Ireland, were into double digits there throughout the night. Into saturday, our area of High Pressure holds on for at least one more day for central and eastern areas, but these Weather Fronts are really ganging up on us Out West. So it looks like england, wales, parts of Eastern Scotland should see another fine day with some sunshine around after that cool start. The breeze picking up, The RainOut West turns heavier later on, certainly for Northern Ireland. Again, those temperatures mid teens in the north, 17 or 18 in the south. But it is all change for part two of the weekend, that area of High Pressure eventually breaks down, low pressure takes over and sends Weather Fronts across the country, more isobars on the chart. So its a cloudy day on sunday, more of a breeze coming up from the south, outbreaks of rain. Most of The Rain towards southern and western hills. The odd heavier downpour there and brightness will be limited. Could see a little bit for North East Scotland at times. Temperatures could be up to 18 or 19 degrees in any brightness, the mid teens further north. But nights will start to get milder as we import this milder air off The Atlantic on a south westerly wind. The upcoming week stays unsettled with low pressure always nearby. Theres a chance around the middle part of the week, we could see the remnants of Hurricane Kirk bring some rain and gales, so stay tuned. Hello, welcome to your questions answered, and welcome to beirut. We are going to spend the next Half Hour or so really discussing what has been an escalating crisis here in the Middle East and try to answer some of the questions that you have about it, whether they be simple, whether they be complicated, everything from what is hezbollah, to why does the us supported israel, to is this the beginning of World War iii . We are going to really get in Depth And Weve got some great expert voices with us over the next Half Hour as well. Our middle East Correspondent is with me here in beirut. Frank gardner, our security correspondent, joins us from london as well. Also in washington, tom bateman, our State Department Correspondent and tom also spent seven years working as a middle East Correspondent in israel. I used to be the Israel Correspondent here in beirut, so between us, hopefully weve got a lot of expertise, a lot of experience in this region, and we can really answer some of your questions. Questions that weve seen searched thousands of times online over the last two weeks or so. So, thank you for sending them in and we are going to start with lena. We are going to start in a really basic place, i think. Its good to start simple and get more complicated as we go on. First of all, we are here in lebanon, you and i, we are in the capital beirut. Talk us through the geography of the region of the Middle East and where lebanon sits in all of that. Well, this is a region that has always been troubled by wars and conflicts, and lebanon is at the heart of it. Lebanon is situated on the mediterranean to the North And East of it is surrounded by syria. To the south of it, there is israel. And this is where also one of the reasons of the conflict, hezbollah is part of the political game