Im dumbfounded that this government wont release the report about russian influence, because every person who votes in this country deserves to see that report before your election happens. Coming up after 09. 15 and all day on bbc news as part of our general election series, we take a close look at the town of Bishop Auckland finding out why its notjust brexit butjobs, crime and the decline of the high street that are among the big issues for voters. And coming up in sport Raheem Sterling is dropped by england after being involved in an altercation with liverpoolsjoe gomez at theirtraining camp, a day after they clashed in the premier league. Good morning, and welcome to the bbc news at nine. From serious breathing problems linked to e cigarettes. Ewan fisher was connected to an artificial lung to keep him alive after his own lungs failed and he couldnt breathe. Doctors have told bbc news that the case is not an isolated incident, with one warning young people should never go near vaping. Public Health Experts maintain that using e cigaretts is still better than smoking. Heres our Health Correspondent james gallagher. Ewan fisher is a keen boxer, but vaping left him fighting for his life. He was 16 when he first used e cigarettes. Getting hold of them was easy, despite being underage. But, around four months later, he started finding it hard to breathe. Something in the e cigarette vapour was causing a catastrophic immune reaction in his lungs called hypersensitivity pneumonitis. His lungs were failing fast, and he rapidly ended up in intensive care. Doctors had to connect ewans blood vessels to an artificial lung in order to keep him alive. It worked, but ewans recovery has been slow. I urge everyone not to vape, because i dont want them to end up how i have been. I dont wish it on anyone, not even my worst enemies. Around 3. 6 Million People in the uk vape. Severe reactions like ewans are rare, but doctors told the bbc his is not an isolated case. So how safe is vaping . Its a difficult question, because on the one hand, nobody who doesnt smoke should consider vaping, in my view. It would be madness. But somebody who already smokes should switch. So, where young people are taking up vaping as an alternative to smoking, despite the bad experience that this particular young man has had, i would endorse that. Ewan says he is back to 80 of his former self, and wants to go into accountancy. His experience is a reminder that vaping is not completely safe. Professor matin mckee, professor of European Public health at the London School of hygiene and tropical medicine is here. Great to have you with us to give some context to this. People will be very shocked by that story, it was a catastrophic experience for that young man, how common is that reaction . Very rare, however there are growing concerns about the many other effective electronic cigarettes. We have had the epidemic of vaping related illnesses in the united states, cannabis has played some part in bed possibly becoming more concerned that these are in lungs already compromised by the use of ordinary cigarettes. The research coming out from Laboratory Studies has been pointing to a much longer term effect on the cardiovascular system, the heart, blood vessels and the lungs and we are learning a lot more about the role of nicotine itself, for example, not just more about the role of nicotine itself, for example, notjust in promoting the growth of cancers that are already there, but some recent work that has suggested that whenever nicotine is inhaled deeply into the lungs, as it is with electronic cigarettes, it is metabolised in a different way and that may be dangerous too. Nicotine is an issue, but the other mechanics of vaping had implicate have implications we might not have been aware of. Tell us about the science of vaping and the concerns . The main concern is about the flavourings, england is a complete outlier in being supportive of vaping, the world health organization, the European Respiratory Society and other organisations are much more sceptical than the small group of organisations in england. What they are particularly concerned about is the flavourings. The argument in england is that the flavourings are regulated, as Food Additives they are, but when we take things into oui are, but when we take things into our mouth and intestines they are metabolised in the liver and it is only after they have gone through the liver that they get into the rest of the circulation. When they are inhaled through the lungs they go straight in, and that is where the problem seems to live. Few people would have a problem with potentially powder on their food and eating it, you would not want to inhale it, as an analogy. Given that, there are questions about particularly young people, it seems, is that because they would have a system that is not so well formed, oi system that is not so well formed, or do you think we should be concerned across the boa rd 7 or do you think we should be concerned across the board . I think we should be concerned across the board, we should be concerned acrosstheboard, but there are lots of concerns about the components of allergenic cigarettes and there is such a wide ranging flavours that we know very little about them individually, we know less about what happens when they are heated together and possibly combined, there is some evidence that is a concern, and with the recent animal study which showed a clear link with the development of lung and bladder cancers it seems that some of the projects may be metabolised slightly differently, so we just really dont know. You mention the figure quoted about e cigarettes being 95 safer than normal cigarettes, you would say that is disingenuous . than normal cigarettes, you would say that is disingenuous . I dont think anybody outside england takes that seriously. This is from Public Health england . Yes, full together nearly five years ago at a time when we knew very little about electronic cigarettes. The authors of the paper on which it is based, although Public Health england have said they agree with it, but the fundamental starting point was a paper in which a group of people, many of whom were known to be supporters of allergenic cigarettes, came up with this figure, not on the basis of Scientific Evidence that on their opinion, and they conceded that they had no evidence to go on. It has been repeated endlessly since then despite all of the evidence coming out suggesting that is not the case. The position that many people internationally feel is that Public Health england and day few other groups in england have put this figure out, they are wedded to it and it is very difficult to rollback. People will think they had done the right thing, they have moved away from traditional cigarettes, they are vaping, it must be better for them, what cigarettes, they are vaping, it must be betterfor them, what is cigarettes, they are vaping, it must be better for them, what is your advice . If you are going to move entirely from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes, it probably isa electronic cigarettes, it probably is a bit safer, but we really dont know how much, not 95 a. The real danger is using both together, you get the nicotine from both, you get the tar from cigarettes, get the nicotine from both, you get the tarfrom cigarettes, the flavourings from electronic cigarettes, that is worse than having one or the other. Thank you for your input, professor martin mckee. A vast area of australias east coast including sydney is bracing itself for one of the nations worst ever bushfire threats. More than 50 blazes are burning across the state of New South Wales ahead of predicted catastrophic conditions later today. Phil mercer reports. 3000 firefighters in New South Wales are preparing for what officials have said is the most intense bushfire week the state has ever seen. In the sky, water bombers are providing much needed support. For the first time, sydney is facing the highest fire threat warning. A similar alert has been issued for other Populated Areas. Much of eastern australia is on edge. This is Wisemans Ferry on the Hawkesbury River on the outskirts of sydney. It is part of a vast area now subject to a catastrophic fire warning. The area here is full of smoke. It is a very hot day in the wind is gusty as well. Some residents have heeded the authorities advised to leave this bushfire prone region. Others have decided to stay. As far as local firefighters are concerned, their emergency preparations continue. The forecast for the remainder the day is not good and the danger will continue. The fear is that in such dry conditions, new fires could start easily and spread quickly. There are dozens of blazes in New South Wales, many are burning out of control. To the north, parts of queensland are also in flames. Australia is well used to natures extremes but this fire emergency is unprecedented. And phil mercer has sent us this update in the last hour. There have been fired in the suburbs of sydney. These places are about a 30 minute drive from the Sydney Opera House and they came perilously close to homes. A very swift firefighting effort has managed to contain these outbreaks and pink substance you can see on the road and the roofs of these properties is fire retardant. So the flames are very fierce for a brief period before the Emergency Services arrived. You can smell the smoke in the air, you can hear the fire engines and you can hear the helicopters in the skies as well. Eastern australia remains in the grip of this fire emergency. In New South Wales there are 3000 firefighters preparing for the onslaught. Catastrophic conditions have been forecast for sydney, also for Populated Areas to the north, to the south and to the west. This is an unprecedented fire crisis in eastern australia spanning two states, and the authorities are warning that tonight could be extremely dangerous but, mercifully for firefighters and residents, conditions are expected to ease tomorrow. Phil mercer, bbc news, sydney. The Prime Minister is to chair an emergency meeting this afternoon to discuss how the government has responded to flooding in the north of england and the midlands. 38 flood warnings remain in place on the river don in South Yorkshire and five severe warnings meaning theres a danger to life. Residents of fishlake have been asked to evacuate by doncaster council. 400 homes have been flooded and more than 1000 properties evacuated in the region. Travel disruptions continue, with trains being diverted from doncaster and reduced services between there and sheffield. Our reporter ben ando has more. During the night, more water was pumped away. The forecast today is for the rain to ease, a possible respite for those in afflicted areas such as the village of fishlake on the river don in South Yorkshire. Dozens of flood warnings remain in place, several of them severe meaning there is a threat to life. Later, borisjohnson will chair a meeting of the governments emergency committee. The cobra meeting will discuss the ongoing response to the floods. £2. 6 billion is being spent for flood defences in a six year scheme that started in 2015. Labour accused the government of not doing enough to help people in flooded areas. Jeremy corbyn said in a letter to the Prime Minister that if the floods were in surrey rather than yorkshire and the midlands it was far more likely a National Emergency would have been declared. The liberal democrats say they will use government borrowing to create a £5 billion fund to support council and Community Flood defence schemes. The former us president ial candidate and first Lady Hillary Clinton has critisised the uk government for not publishing a government report into russian influence on the 2016 referendum. Shes told the bbc that it was inexplicable and shameful not to release the report. I find it inexplicable that your government will not release a government report about russian influence. Every person who votes in this country deserves to see that report before your election happens. That should be an absolute condition. And you can hear more of that interview with the bbcs Mishal Hussein later this hour. The headlines. Doctors in nottingham say a teenager almost died after vaping caused a catastrophic reaction in his lungs. Australias east coast braces itself for conditions to worsen as firefighters continue to battle raging bushfires labour promises a £3 billion increase in adult investment if it wins the general election. Raheem sterling has been dropped for englands euro 2020 qualifier against montenegro on thursday. Its after whats been described as a disturbance withjoe gomez in the team area at englands St Georges Park base. The man in charge of var says hed give a mark of seven out of ten of ten for its performance in the premier league this season. Neil swarbrick says the video assistant referee will evolve, and asked fans to be patient. Rafael nadals bid to end the year as world number one suffered a setback as he lost to Alexander Zverev at the atp finals in london. Nadal says he just wasnt good enough. More on all of the stories thatjust after 9 30am. Theres a month to go until the general election on the 12th december, and nigel farage has ditched plans to take on the tories. After his offer of an electoral pact was turned down by Boris Johnson, the Brexit Party Leader said he would not field candidates in seats won by the conservatives at the last election. Meanwhile, labour is promising an extra three billion pounds a year to offer adults in england free access to education and training. It would offer them up to six years of training in an attempt to tackle skills shortages. The liberal democrats have proposed a £10,000 skills wallet for every adult to Access Training throughout their life. £4,000 would be added to the wallet at 25, 3000 at 40, and 3000 again at 55. And they have announced a 5 billion p and they have announced a 5 billion p fund for investment in flood defences. Lets speak to our assistant Political Editor norman smith in westminster. Westminster digester in that big climb down by nigel farage yesterday, saying he will pull out Brexit Party Candidates from all tory held seats. This morning he was doing the rounds and was slightly more defiant than the rather contrite, humble figure yesterday, insisting he will put Brexit Party Candidates in every other seat despite pleas from leading tories for mr farage to back off, fearful that if he stands in marginal seats then it could scupper Boris Johnsons chance marginal seats then it could scupper borisjohnsons chance of picking them up and securing a majority, paving the way for another Hung Parliament and maybe a brexit referendum. Mr farage turned the ta bles referendum. Mr farage turned the tables on Boris Johnson referendum. Mr farage turned the tables on borisjohnson a bit today and said it was up to him to stand down in some seats. This is almost comical, isnt it . Ive just gifted the conservative party nearly two dozen seats, andl did it because i believe in leave. Now, if they believed in leave, what they would do is stand aside in some seats in labour areas where the conservative party have not won for 100 years, and will never win. I think what youre seeing from this reaction is for the conservative party its about them as a party, not about delivering brexit. So im very disappointed, though perhaps not surprised. Meanwhile, labour and the opposition parties have seized on the alliance, if you want to call it that, between nigel farage and the tories to say they are the same, they both believe in the same thing and borisjohnson has turned the tories into the brexit party. Meanwhile, labourare setting up proposals for lifelong aduu setting up proposals for lifelong adult learning. This is a scheme which would enable adults who have not got a levels or equivalent qualifications to return to college to retrain or, if they are made redundant, try to acquire new skills are forfree, no redundant, try to acquire new skills are for free, no charge. Those on low incomes would also be eligible for maintenance grants. This is the shadow education secretary Angela Rayner setting out the proposal. We need a transformation in schools in this country. We know there hasnt been enough investment. Other parties are catching up now, so we need to make sure we put our money into adult skills so theres Free Education up to a level for all adults in the uk, you can go back and get those qualifications, and also levels four to six, just below postgrad, that people can get up to six years of credit to ensure that they can get those qualifications as well. This will transform our economy for the future. The industrialjobs we want to put on board, the green agenda, the green deal weve got, means that weve got to skill our people up to do those jobs. What are tee johnson what are teejohnson up to . Boris johnson is holding the cobra meeting to address the issue of the floods this afternoon. More broadly they are wanting to keep up the pressure on labour over money, suggesting the labour proposals would result in significant tax increases. They have come in to p