president biden said hamas and putin �*both want to annihilate a neighbouring democracy�*. he says he is sending an �*urgent�* israel and ukraine aid request to congress on friday. let's have a listen to what president biden has been saying. history has taught us that when terrorists do not pay the price for terror, when dictators do not pay a price for aggression they cause more chaos and death and more destruction. they keep going and the cost and the threats to america and the world keep rising. if we were walkway from ukraine or turner backs on israel, it isjust walkway from ukraine or turner backs on israel, it is just not worth it. that is why tomorrow i will send an urgent budget request to congress to fund america's massive security needs to support our critical partners including israel and ukraine. during his address from the oval office, president biden also expressed support for palestinians. the united states remains committed to the palestinian people and their right to dignity and self—determination. the actions of terrorists do not take that right away. like so many other, i am heartbroken by the tragic loss of palestinian life including the explosion on the hospital in gaza which was not done by the israelis. we mourn every innocent life lost. we cannot ignore the humanity of innocent palestinians who only want to live in peace and have an opportunity. live now to our correspondent david willis in washington. hello david. it was quite rare for president biden to be speaking from the oval office. just how significant was what he had to say? highly significant. he called this and inflection point in history and he said that if the united states did not stand up to the sort of aggression that was going on than it would only spawn further aggression in other parts of the world. the president sought tojoin other parts of the world. the president sought to join the dots, if you like, between the conflicts in ukraine and that in israel. a sickly by saying that they shared the common aim of hamas and russia in his view of hamas and russia in his view of annihilating a neighbouring democracy. he also announced that he was urging congress or would be urging congress to approve a massive military aid package thought to be although the president did not specify, worth about $100 billion, that is 60 billion in military aid for ukraine, 1a billion for israel. which the president described as a smart investment and one that would pay dividends as far as america's security was concerned for generations. but this was an appeal, i think, generations. but this was an appeal, ithink, to generations. but this was an appeal, i think, to american patriotism. there were shades of almost reagan —esque language in this speech when he spoke about america's attachment to liberty and so on but this was joe attachment to liberty and so on but this wasjoe biden a sickly seeking to prepare the american people for their interest and involvement in conflict which makes them very distant to them even now. �* ., ., makes them very distant to them even "ow-— makes them very distant to them even nova— even now. before that he has to no to even now. before that he has to go to congress _ even now. before that he has to go to congress and _ even now. before that he has to go to congress and there - even now. before that he has to go to congress and there is - go to congress and there is also a dilemma of a house speaker. also a dilemma of a house speaker-— also a dilemma of a house speaker. also a dilemma of a house seaker. ., , �* speaker. that is right. and it is not clear _ speaker. that is right. and it is not clear how _ speaker. that is right. and it is not clear how any - speaker. that is right. and it is not clear how any package | speaker. that is right. and it l is not clear how any package of military aid will get past congress given the fact that the lower house is without a leader. there is still no speaker two weeks after the last one was ousted and the current contender, jim jordan who was a favourite of donald trump, the congressman from ohio, he has had two attempts at getting the speakership but those votes have gone against him and it is unclear whether he is to undergo another one tomorrow. clearly this political paralysis, apart from impeding the possible passage of military aid monies is deeply embarrassing for america at a time when it has a lot on its plate as far as foreign policy is concerned broadly, what are the thoughts of americans, of president biden's handling of this conflict? also, i mean, he was obviously talking about preserving democracy from the oval office but also talking about us national security interests. how do the two interlink? that is a aood how do the two interlink? that is a good question. _ how do the two interlink? that is a good question. i _ how do the two interlink? trisgt is a good question. i think that there is a general sense that there is a general sense thatjoe biden has handled this crisis in israel fairly adeptly and, of course, there was the agreement he wrung from the egyptians and israelis for humanitarian aid to be allowed into gaza and that is now due to start on saturday. so we hear. he was thwarted in a sense that the arab leaders who were due to meet with him in jordan pulled out following the attack on the hospital in gaza which they blamed on israel and israel has denied any involvement in it. but it is early days, of course. a lot more diplomacy lies ahead and, of course, there is a lot of concern that the ground offensive by israel could go on for quite some time.— offensive by israel could go on for quite some time. thank you very much. _ for quite some time. thank you very much, david. _ for quite some time. thank you very much, david. we - for quite some time. thank you very much, david. we will - for quite some time. thank you very much, david. we will stay| very much, david. we will stay with president biden's address from the oval office. live now to bruce wolpe — a senior fellow at the united states studies centre at the university of sydney. welcome to the programme here on bbc news. what did you make of what president biden had to say? of what president biden had to sa ? ., ., y . of what president biden had to sa ? ., ., . , say? the oval office is the hiuhest say? the oval office is the highest office _ say? the oval office is the highest office in _ say? the oval office is the highest office in american j highest office in american office and president biden tied together the two wars that are occurring in ukraine and within israel and hamas and he explained the theme, as your correspondent reported, of russia and hamas wanting to destroy democracy. this resonates. the data back to jobs in the united states but he had special messages for the palestinians in that he still supports, he absolutely supports, he absolutely supports a two state solution and humanitarian aid in gaza is important. he stood strongly with israel and i think the speech worked for all constituencies he wanted to reach and to bring the nation united behind him as he has these foreign—policy campaigns. there was also pressure for israel to not give into rage and make this passe mistake that america did during the 9/11. how likely is israel to take that on board? —— make the same mistakes that america did. it is not only gaza but what is happening in lebanon and syria and whether the west bank could erupt in behind all of that is iran. so israel's management of the campaign that seems to be imminent in gaza to destroy hamas has to be done strongly and carefully so that the iranians do not escalate and you have a truly regional war which would be catastrophic. we are in an inflection point on that fight and we will know within the next week or two what road we will go down. following the seech we will go down. following the speech analysts _ we will go down. following the speech analysts say _ we will go down. following the speech analysts say we - we will go down. following the speech analysts say we still. we will go down. following the speech analysts say we still doj speech analysts say we still do not have an end game. to meet that make defeat hamas then what? that is a shame. i apologise for that we have lost our guest who had joined us from the university of sydney. but we are going to continue on this theme and speak about what more president biden had to say and this time on the conflict in ukraine he said that if president putin's appetite for power and control was not stopped he would not limit himself to ukraine. that was the morning. it risks spreading the morning. it risks spreading the conflict around the region. the exact amount of the pledge has not been announced, mr biden did say that he would ask congress about weapons from us stockpiles. this is what he had to say. i stockpiles. this is what he had to sa . ., r' stockpiles. this is what he had tosa. ., ,, ., to say. i ask congress to make sure you _ to say. i ask congress to make sure you continue _ to say. i ask congress to make sure you continue to _ to say. i ask congress to make sure you continue to send - sure you continue to send ukraine weapons that they need to defend themselves without interruption so that ukraine can stop the brutality. they are succeeding. when vladimir putin invaded ukraine he thought he would take the capital within a matter of days. over a year later he has failed and he continues to fail. kyiv still stands because of the bravery of the ukrainian people. of the bravery of the ukrainian --eole. , ., ., of the bravery of the ukrainian -eole.-_, ., ., people. joining me now was our correspondent, _ people. joining me now was our correspondent, our— people. joining me now was our correspondent, our news - correspondent, our news reporter olga. olga, there were not many specifics, were there, just a pledge that we need to continue supporting ukraine and president zelensky. take us through the details. when i was listening to that address i also wanted to hear some numbers also wanted to hear some numbe- also wanted to hear some numbe - . ., numbers and he made some important — numbers and he made some important points _ numbers and he made some important points regarding l important points regarding ukraine. he did emphasise that he is not going to send us soldiers to ukraine but he also said that the weapons which he would ask the congress to supply to ukraine would be from us stockpiles and later on he promised americans that they could be replaced from newly produced on the territory of the united states. he also warned that if russia attacks any of the nato member countries the us would react correspondingly. he also spoke about the support to ukraine which, in his opinion would pay dividends within generations. also emphasising support to israel. what is interesting in his speech is that we understand that that support, that support is widely expected in ukraine and president zelensky also said that they had a phone conversation with mr biden and i listened to what mr biden and i listened to what mr zelensky said in ukrainian and he thanked biden and the congress for support and he also emphasised the importance of unity in defending, that was exactly what mr zelensky said. he also said that it could help to speed up the liberation of ukraine from the occupiers. just tell it's a poor going for the war and supporting ukraine? things have been held up in terms of signing off on that aid. support wise where are we between the democrats and republicans in supporting ukraine? , ,, , , ukraine? despite the numbers announced _ ukraine? despite the numbers announced as _ ukraine? despite the numbers announced as we _ ukraine? despite the numbers announced as we heard - ukraine? despite the numbers announced as we heard our. announced as we heard our correspondent in washington, it is expected that the package may include $60 billion for weapons from ukraine. you made a very good point about the division between the republicans and democrats and there is a huge fear in ukraine that if republicans gain the decision—making power that support might drop. when we look at the poles and when we see the cbs news poll conducted last month it shows that only 39% of republicans support supplying weapons to ukraine which is a significant drop compared to what it was in february which is almost 10% drop. obviously we cannot make speculations and we should see how it goes later on. this conflict — how it goes later on. this conflict between - how it goes later on. this conflict between israel i how it goes later on. this conflict between israel and gaza has a truly global aspect to it. what do we know about ukrainians that have been caught up in this? according to the israeli ambassador to ukraine ukraine has the highest civilian victims in this conflict. ukrainian citizens. so it is confirmed so far that at least 18 ukrainian citizens were killed in israel. and at least one ukrainian citizen was killed in gaza. we also heard from the officials, ukrainian and israel, the officials, that there are over 300 ukrainian is awaiting for evacuation from gaza and that number is growing so there is no exact number now, but the officials feared that it could reach 400 people in the coming days. and obviously it is very difficult to check the information for us at the bbc so we have to rely on official sources.— on official sources. olga malchevska, _ on official sources. olga malchevska, thank - on official sources. olga malchevska, thank you | on official sources. olga - malchevska, thank you very much, indeed. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a double boiler should obituary for labour. it overturns you to consider majorities and met beds and tamworth. the first time they've made to biology against the same day since 1962. the labour leader, sir keir starmer has welcomed the victories. in a statement he said: in mid bedfordshire, labour overturned a conservative majority of more than 24,000. you'll remember it was nadine dorries' seat until she quit as an mp. in his winning speech, the new labour mp alistair strathern said it showed nowhere is off limits for labour. because tonight residents across mid bedfordshire made history. after decades of being taken for granted, being left behind, feeling underrepresented, they made the decision that it was time to change. it was time to deserve better. it was time to get better. it was time to get better politics. higher standards. it is time for labour. standards. it is time for labour-— standards. it is time for labour._ butj standards. it is time for - labour._ but this labour. applause. but this victory is — labour. applause. but this victory is only _ labour. applause. but this victory is only possible - victory is only possible because of the labour party's change. under new leadership we have moved to where the country is and where mid bedfordshire is. we asked parties with sound economic policy, a policy that will deliver safer streets and get nhs on its feet again. we love our country and its traditions, a country where played by the rules matters, where mission and hard work are awarded and where everyone has awarded and where everyone has a chance to succeed in life. that's the beds i grew up in and the beds that delivered a resounding message tonight. and thatis resounding message tonight. and that is why people are turning to labour. our values as a party shared by people across our county, towns, cities, and yes, even rural villages and farming committees like those right across beds. no—one is off—limits for this labour party and tonight's result proves it. in tamworth, sarah edwards overturned a tory majority of nearly 20,000 at the 2019 election. this is the moment her number of votes was announced at the count. add words, labour party. 11,719 votes. —— add words. after her victory speech, sarah edwards spoke tojo coburn. she asked her what she thought her win said about the mood of the country. i think it demonstrates what we've been hearing here on the doors which is that people are really fed up, very frustrated and they are not seeing the conservatives give them a positive vision for the country. what we've been doing is offering that from the labour party. being very clear there is a change, there is a fresh start, there is an opportunity that they do not have to continue in this vein and i think they have voted that way very, very clearly and sent a strong message. i don't want to debit _ sent a strong message. i don't want to debit your _ sent a strong message. i don't want to debit your victory - sent a strong message. i don't want to debit your victory but l want to debit your victory but the turnout was low even by by—election standards. 36%, just— by—election standards. 36%, just under. we've been talking in the — just under. we've been talking in the studio that that could possibly— in the studio that that could possibly be down to many disaffected tories staying at home — disaffected tories staying at home. so you one by default almost — home. so you one by default almost because of a low tone because _ almost because of a low tone because the tories did not come out on _ because the tories did not come out on polling day. | because the tories did not come out on polling day.— out on polling day. i think actually — out on polling day. i think actually it— out on polling day. i think actually it is _ out on polling day. i think actually it is the - out on polling day. i think| actually it is the opposite. out on polling day. i think- actually it is the opposite. we have had an historic victory here. the largest victory in a very long time, so i think what it actually demonstrates is that conservative voters have voted labour. i've spoken to many of them who say they will not vote conservative and they will vote for labour, that they want to give that a fresh start a try and they want to hear that positive vision and they have not seen, they have not had an mp for the best part of the year and a half, so i would say that in fact they have come to us and they are seen as an option again. sir robert buckland is the former conservative lord chancellor and secretary of state for wales. he had this message for all conservatives after the two by—election defeats. what conservatives need to do now is told us, come together, remember why we are in politics, serve the national interest, get behind the prime minister and make sure this election is notjust election is not just competitive election is notjust competitive but that we can deliver it conservative government, working in the national interest. well, ur political correspondent ione wells was at the count in tamworth. she gave us this assessment of the two defeats for rishi sunak and the conservative government. blu ntly, bluntly, this blu ntly, this is bluntly, this is the bad result for the conservatives. they've lost you previously really safe seat and labour have achieved massive swings to them. in terms of what this means on a national picture, labels that if if they can achieve swings like this, that puts them on course to with many other seats around the country particularly because this was for example in tamworth a 57 safest conservative see in the country. i think there will be a number of conservative mps tomorrow morning who are feeling pretty nervous about what this means for their sick particularly if they have much smaller majorities than the ones that were in tamworth and mid bedfordshire. ithink ones that were in tamworth and mid bedfordshire. i think one thing the conservatives will likely argue is that turnout was low, as by—elections often are, and that by—elections are sometimes used to give a bit of a kicking to the current government, so they will argue that this may not be reflective of kind of what voters would do a general election and certainly these swings that we've seen tonight are positive i think of where opinion polls are currently at, labour certainly using this as a reason to write their belief on cost when many more seats at the general election.— the general election. lone wells. the swing from the conservatives to labour in tamworth was 23.9% and in mid bedfordshire 20.5%. polling expert professor sir john curtice gave me his reaction to the results. the fact the government have managed to lose to remark safe seat, tamworth is now the safest seat for any government to lose to the principal opposition, to lose to such safe seat on water by historical standards for by—elections near record—breaking swings. does represent one of the worst by—election in nights that any government has suffered. it certainly underlines the message that the opinion polls, what are now a year or more, that the conservatives are in deep electoral trouble. we are now getting in these by—elections the kinds of swings that we last saw in the 1992 and 1997 parliament that ended with tony blair's landslide victory over the conservatives and the conservatives and the conservatives clearly now have a very substantialjob in front of them if they will turn things around between now and the general election which does have to be held within little more than a year.— have to be held within little more than a year. what about labour and — more than a year. what about labour and how _ more than a year. what about labour and how they - more than a year. what about labour and how they would i more than a year. what about | labour and how they would do more than a year. what about i labour and how they would do in what up at the moment traditional safe tory seats? i think labour will take particular pleasure from the fact that tamworth is a constituency where the party's boat has been in relatively long—term decline, wants to see whether party was a marginal seat, but labour has been getting way and crucially asset that was heavily appropriately. your member in the 2019 election the conservatives typically well in areas that voted heavily leave. we have clear evidence that the conservative coalition of leave voters that took the conservatives to victory in 2019 has now afraid fairly badly, enabling webinar to in sixth that in 2019 looked very, very difficult for the party to pick up. so yes, it is true that an mid bedfordshire the rise in labour voters, although at 12 points, it is clearly a by—election with the fact that both labour and the democrats fought vigorously mad the spoils were divided but the spoils were divided but the spoils was so substantial but that did not stop labour picking up the seat. you mentioned _ picking up the seat. you mentioned the - picking up the seat. you mentioned the liberal. mentioned the liberal democrats. they've done well in previous by—elections but not this time. and a lot of people talk about tactical voting and how that will play out in the general election. the how that will play out in the general election.— how that will play out in the general election. the truth is that these — general election. the truth is that these are _ general election. the truth is that these are neither - general election. the truth is i that these are neither properly not by—elections in which tactical voting was ever going to be crucial. there was not much of a liberal democrats are in the first place and meanwhile mid bedfordshire is the first parliamentary by—election in this parliament to where both labour and the liberal democrats have campaigned very vigorously that it seems pretty clear that there was not a great deal of tactical voting because as i was saying both labour and the liberal democrats is all the ever—rise by a considerable amount. so to that extent these are probably not to remark by—elections were tactical voting guided practice had much of or end it was to claim a general place. professor sirjohn curtice. you can get more reaction to labour's double by election victory on the special bbc news live page, which you find at bbc.co.uk/news or on the bbc news app. away from the by—election result. a 57—year—old woman has died after being swept into a river in angus as storm babet batters eastern scotland. hundreds of people were told to leave their homes overnight in parts of scotland as the storm hit, and a rare red weather warning, meaning there's a risk to life, is in force until midday. simonjones reports. it's been a wet, windy and wild night and there is more in the way. as storm babet that as much of the uk. overnight in brechin, east of scotland the coast guide on fire service have been going door—to—door to ask residents to leave their homes for their own safety. this area is under extremely rare red weather warning for rain which means there is a very real risk to life. a woman died after being swept into the river and angus. taste died after being swept into the river and angus.— river and angus. we had really extensive _ river and angus. we had really extensive disruption _ river and angus. we had really extensive disruption overnight| extensive disruption overnight to quite a widespread number of communities across north—east scotland. if you're an area that has been flooded, please follow the advice of the emergency services, don't walk or drive through floodwater,. several flood warnings and severe flood warnings have been in place in eastern scotland. committees could be cut off days with the weather also pretty the possibility of landslides. coastal areas have been hard hit. some homes have been hard hit. some homes have been left without power. residents have been doing what they can protect their properties. community centres have been opened in areas where it is too dangerous for people to remain at home. for some it is an all too familiar story. backin is an all too familiar story. back in november, it was like in my house for five months. scorcher early. instead stonehaven and aberdeenshire, usually defensible to the test. travel has been badly disrupted. a bumpy ride for passengers flying into aberdeen. the situation on the train has not been much better. advice is if you are in a red weather— advice is if you are in a red weather what area, do not traveb _ weather what area, do not travel. we have told our staff in those _ travel. we have told our staff in those areas to stay at home. if in those areas to stay at home. if you _ in those areas to stay at home. if you live — in those areas to stay at home. if you live across the rest of the — if you live across the rest of the network or want to travel in scott — the network or want to travel in scott brown across the network, check before you travet _ network, check before you travel. ~ . , . travel. what is the wind and rain, travel. what is the wind and rain. much _ travel. what is the wind and rain, much of— travel. what is the wind and rain, much of the _ travel. what is the wind and rain, much of the rest i travel. what is the wind and rain, much of the rest of i travel. what is the wind and | rain, much of the rest of the uk today. people are advised to brace themselves for what storm babet brings. simonjones, bbc news. well, let's get more on the weather with ben rich. storm babet continues to bring hazardous mother, not least because of the amount of rain thatis because of the amount of rain that is falling. a red warning from the met office covering parts of eastern scotland. it's the highest tier of wanting the met office can issue. it implies a danger to life, up to 250 millimetres of rain falling in the very latest locations. no wonder there is an ongoing risk of significant flooding. broader ever wanting affected captivated and northern scotland. the rainjust keeps on coming. a soggy start to friday but further south there is a lot of rain in the outlook as well across wales. central and northern england, northern ireland, really have examples of rain becoming very slow moving through the day. across scotland the rain increasingly becoming confined to the southeast of scotland at least the heaviest rate. it will be very witty with gusts of 50—60 mph and more across central and northern parts of the uk. lighter winds further south, mix of sunshine and showers here but the met office and i affecting parts of southeast scotland and down the spine of northern england. it falls from 12 o'clock on friday because we set up 220 millimetres of rain, that ran relentless really as we had to friday evening and moving back and across the eastern side of scotland, so it could exacerbate flooding issues here. we start we could with temperatures north to south to five and 12 degrees. we suffer we can with low pressure still firmly in charge. bands of rain circulating around the, still quite windy in places, in the far southwest more specially in the north, not as windy by this stage. we will see further outbreaks of rain especially across the eastern side of scotland. and northern scotland, places that were not needed. furthersouth scotland, places that were not needed. further south in of sunny spells and showers for some longer spells of rain. temperatures north to south 8— 16 degrees, a cooler day for many. enter sunday, a less rain, fewer showers, lighter winds, one way of dry weather and some spells of sunshine. so the story of the weather through the weekend will be for things to slowly but surely calm down. that's all for me. bye for now. kyiv this is bbc news talk is good. the us and the european union hold their 27th regular summit today. electric car subsidies expected to be high on the agenda. argentina is set to elect a new president on sunday. we check out the economic programmes of the candidates. and, something we could all need a little more of — financial literacy. new research shows that only 33% of us have it. hello, i'm lukwesa burak and these are the top business stories. as you've been hearing, the president of the united states has delivered an address from the oval office. joe biden asked congress and the american public to support supplemental assistance to ukraine, israel and other countries, in a package which according to reports could be worth as much as $100 billion. this comes as president biden hosts the european commission president, ursula von der leyen — and european council president, charles michel, for the 27th eu—us summit