A foreign power is preparing to attack. It comes after the expiry of a sunday deadline from west African Regional bloc ecowas, which demanded the coup be reversed. The group now plans to hold an Emergency Summit on thursday. Meanwhile, the United States is suspending more than 100 million in aid to niger. But officials insist theres still time to solve the crisis. The window of opportunity is definitely still open. We believe that they should step aside and allow president Mohamed Bazoum to resume his duties, today, tomorrow, anytime in the nearfuture. They dont want to put a time when that window be close, would you say that using diplomacy to achieve this objective is our top priority with respect to niger. Our correspondent chris ewokor following the story from neighbouring nigeria. It is one day after the expiration of the ultimatum given to niger coup leaders by ecowas to reinstate president Mohamed Bazoum. The leaders are due to meet on thursday this week to deliberate on the proposals by ecowas defence chiefs, as well as other measures that will help them resolve this situation in niger diplomatically. But the leaders will want to make very clear that coup or Military Takeover of government in this region will no longer be acceptable. Meanwhile, here in sokoto in North Western nigeria, the border remains closed against niger. Not too far away from here at the border post, long lines of vehicles, lorries carrying loads covered with tarpaulin, have been stranded with their drivers sleeping under them or even sitting there waiting to hear the latest development about the border. Some of them told me they had been stranded for nearly two weeks. But the Nigerian Customs boss said Border Closure is in compliance with the ecowas resolutions. Trade can only happen when there is peace. Peace has been threatened. There are situations of instability such as looting in this place. If it happens in niger and it is not controlled it could have some kind of repercussions. Across the border in niger state run tv on monday urged people in niger to mobilise against threats to the country amid looming Military Action by ecowas. The statement focused on the need for citizens to reawaken their patriotic spirit in the wake of economic sanctions imposed by ecowas. Neighbouring mali and burkina faso have showed solidarity to the coup leaders. They sent a Junta Delegation in support of the junta on monday. But the sanctions imposed on the country continue to take effect. The price of commodities have gone up and niger remains darkness, cut off from Electricity Supply from nigeria. Chris ewokor, bbc news, sokoto, at the border with niger. I spoke to a former state Department Official earlier to get insights into the crisis in niger. Joining me now is bisa williams, former Us Ambassador to niger. You so much for taking the time to be with us today. We are now learning more about the Acting Deputy Secretary of states unsuccessful secretary of states U Nsuccessful Attem pts secretary of states unsuccessful attempts to U Nsuccessful Attem pts to negotiate some unsuccessful attempts to negotiate some kind of settlement to see a return to power of president Mohamed Bazoum. Why do you think she wasnt able to make any progress there . Wasnt able to make any progress there . Im not sure i would characterise progress there . Im not sure i would characterise that progress there . Im not sure i would characterise that is would characterise that is unsuccessful completely. My understanding was that the Acting Deputy Secretary left the door open for continued discussions and that basically the United States, in what i considered a rare move, offered its good officers to help move toward a diplomatic solution. That would be my interpretation of that experience. Why do i think on this First Encounter with the acting head of this junta was not more compliant or more embracing, think it is because it is a First Encounter, they also got the impression from reports i heard that maybe the deputy secretary didnt see the whole junta. Im not sure if there is still immunity in that group. Victoria newell and said they were extremely frank and at times they were difficult. We know it time she wasnt able to meet with president Mohamed Bazoum. What you think this is about the us� s influence in niger . Is it lost its influence . Niger . Is it lost its influence . ,. ,. Niger . Is it lost its influence . ,. , influence . No, the fact that they allowed influence . No, the fact that they allowed her influence . No, the fact that they allowed her to influence . No, the fact that they allowed her to Land Influence . No, the fact thatj they allowed her to land are never going to meet with her, to me, is a big indication they are hoping for some kind of, that they will be able to maintain some kind of a relationship with the United States government, that they werent able to meet with president Mohamed Bazoum, i think is a military coup attitude, they are trying to control their power and are trying to make sure there are no images of the United States with the duly elected and still president of niger. That is just a palamo. But at this point, i wouldnt say that that interaction indicated a total loss of the relationship for the United States power move. I do think this is a fragile moment, period. Im not ready to count Victoria Nuland out yet. Ready to count Victoria Nuland out et. , �. , � out yet. Present biden hasnt called this out yet. Present biden hasnt called this situation out yet. Present biden hasnt called this situation occur called this situation occur yet, we know that would allow the us to hold back all of their aid there, some has already been withdrawn, given the results of mondays meetings, using the Biden Administration should now call this situation a coup . If administration should now call this situation a coup . This situation a coup . If the United States this situation a coup . If the United States government | this situation a coup . If the United States government really is committed to trying to use its good officers to talk to this group of officers who have taken this very drastic measure, then we need to put all the support behind them as possible. So i would refrain from calling this a coup. I can. Com i am civilian, i am from calling this a coup. I can. Com i am civilian, iam no longer the government, it is obvious they are a group of military men are acting like theyre trying to run things go my understanding legal situation of the United States government and i would hold off on thatjuly was absolutely convinced there was no other outcome. Convinced there was no other outcome convinced there was no other outcome. � ,. ,. , outcome. Ambassador, we have seen the regional outcome. Ambassador, we have seen the Regional Block outcome. Ambassador, we have seen the Regional Block of outcome. Ambassador, we have seen the Regional Block of west | seen the Regional Block of west african nations, ecowas, and the deadline for president bazoum tabea stated, we have seen the deadline come and go, there has no intervention yet from them, how critical you the next few days . I from them, how critical you the next few days . Next few days . I do think that it was really next few days . I do think that it was really important next few days . I do think that it was really important for it was really important for ecowas to say this was a huge mistake, we will give you a week to rectify it. So, correct, that week has transpired. Didnt interpret that to mean that one minute after that week they were going to intervene, now if there was really going to be an intervention, think that is what they have been planning, think it is really important for ecowas to stand on its ground and to say and to mean that they want to preserve the beginning of the democratic transition that niger was sewing and that clearly the states of ecowas are concerned about stability in the region, security and stability in the region, so i think the leadership did and had to take the move that they had. What the move that they had. What ou think the move that they had. What you think ecowas the move that they had. What you think ecowas needs the move that they had. What you think ecowas needs to i the move that they had. What you think ecowas needs to to make that happen . I you think ecowas needs to to make that happen . You think ecowas needs to to make that happen . I dont know how ms crowe make that happen . I dont know how ms crowe coordination how ms crowe Co Ordination there was between the us and ecowas, imagine there was some communication, thats normally how we operate, so it seems to be that there seems to be communication between the United States, which is willing to put itself really out there on a limb to try to help things move along, and the leadership at ecowas. If there is a way to somehow talk this group into really looking at what its options are, if this group of military men who have taken over really are doing this for the nigerian people and you can see the suffering that suffering that is causing and the suffering in the nigerien public, they should be able to sit down with the leaders of ecowas and whatever external good friends there to try to work a way out. I think that is possible if, again, if these soldiers really are considering the population. I do think the window is, in it was a caller, small, think the timeline is short for that and the longer that this kind of period, this period lasts, the worse it is for the nigerien people and the worse it is for Mohamed Bazoum only was it is for this little coup group as well. The real hostages in this situation are of course president bazoum and his family and the nigerien people. And the military, all the military, notjust the little group that appear on television, but the rank and file or to see that, and i think thats also now what the leadership at ecowas is conscious of. Leadership at ecowas is conscious of. Bisa Williams Former us conscious of. Bisa Williams FormerUs Ambassador conscious of. Bisa Williams FormerUs Ambassador to i conscious of. Bisa Williams FormerUs Ambassador to niger, thank you so much for being with us. , � ,. , ~ with us. Youre welcome. Thank ou. Ukraine says at least five people have been killed by Russian Missile strikes in the countrys east. Its happened in the eastern town of pokrovsk in the donetsk region. More than 30 have also been injured in the attack. These are the latest pictures we have, as Rescue Efforts continue into the night. The head of the region says the strikes damaged two residential buildings, a hotel and shops, and an administrative centre. He warned more attacks could happen. Ukraines security service, the sbu, has announced the arrest of a woman in connection with an alleged assassination plot against president volodymyr zelensky. Our Correspondentjames Waterhouse has more. So these are quite interesting allegations emerging from the southern mykolaiv region. Sources at the Security Forces have told us they have arrested a woman who is accused of travelling around the local area, taking pictures of Different Military sites, and sharing them with her russian handlers. But these are part of a string of allegations which include her trying to get hold of the itinerary of an official visit by president zelensky and trying to share that with moscow, which would therefore help russia launch a major air strike during president zelensky� s visit. That visit that happened without any incident and the woman was arrested shortly afterwards, we are told is being investigated for a number of weeks. And notjust that, there are claims she worked in the local Military Shop at one of ukraines Military Bases in the south. Now, as the countrys wartime leader, president zelensky sees Long Distance trips has been part of the job description. Its important to him that he appears on the frontline as well as in cities and army bases to try and keep the populations morale high. There have been reports of several attempts on his life, not least i remember early on in the invasion when russias main aim was to topple his administration, to take him out and install a Puppet Official of their own. These allegations are a reminder of the risks he faces every time he travels outside of kyiv have or even when he stays inside of kyiv, to be frank with you. Russia has not commented on these allegations. Lawyers for donald trump say a protective order sought by special Counseljack Smith violates the former president s First Amendment rights. The order would limit what Information Mr trump, and his legal team, can share publicly. It comes after he posted online what appeared to a threat of revenge for anyone who went after him. These kinds of orders are not uncommon in criminal cases. After his third indictment last week, mr trump pled not guilty to charges of trying to overturn the 2020 us president ial election. This comes as officials in the us State Of Georgia have put up barriers around an atlanta courthouse ahead of a potentialfourth indictment against mr trump. The District Attorney there is wrapping up a probe into his alleged attempts to overturn his election defeat in the state. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Voiceover bbc news, bringing you different stories from across the uk. Meet the Cheshire Ghost Riders who are gearing up for a home World Championships. Its who are gearing up for a home World Championships. World championships. Its a whirlwind World Championships. Its a whirlwind of World Championships. Its a whirlwind of emotions, World Championships. Its a whirlwind of emotions, not| World Championships. Its a. Whirlwind of emotions, notjust adrenaline, yourfocus during the flow state and you across the flow state and you across the line before you know it. Im absolutely buzzing. I did the world is a year ago now and i had all blacks ten years ago, ive broke my hip and could walk for seven years and leslie got back into an qualified its amazing. Here at the bmx track qualified its amazing. Here at the bmx track they qualified its amazing. Here at the bmx track they have qualified its amazing. Here at the bmx track they have a qualified its amazing. Here at. The bmx track they have a total of eight qualifiers for the World Championships in glasgow, the youngest being nine years old. I the youngest being nine years old. ,. , the youngest being nine years old. ,. , the youngest being nine years old. ,. , old. I started when i was about three. Old. I started when i was about three my old. I started when i was about three. My dad old. I started when i was about three. My dad did old. I started when i was about three. My dad did it old. I started when i was about three. My dad did it first. Old. I started when i was about three. My dad did it first. I three. My dad did it first. I thought may be that would be interesting if id try it. Here we go for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. Youre live with bbc news. Those opposing Alexander Lukashenkos autocratic regime in belarus, of course, face imprisonment, but now, it seems, they must also endure total isolation in jail too. They include the opposition activist, maria kalesnika, who was sentenced to 11 years for her role in Peaceful Street rallies three years ago, following widespread calls for lukashenko to step down. The bbc� s Eastern Europe correspondent, sarah rainsford, has been speaking to marias sister in warsaw, and to