Its 7am in the morning here in singapore and 1am in france, where a huge manhunt is under way for the armed gang who helped a prisoner escape, shooting dead two guards as they did so. It happened in the town of incarville, near the Northern City of rouen. Three other Prison Guards were injured when their van was ambushed. Several shots were fired near at the Toll Booth Plaza as the prison van slowed. The convict who escaped had links to organised crime gangs in marseille in the south of the country. With the story, heres our europe correspondent nick beake. An unremarkable tollbooth in northern france, and the scene of a swift and brutal ambush. Cctv footage shows the Moment A Dark Car Veers into a white prison van, and at least two masked attackers start shooting. Terrified passengers on a passing bus throw themselves to the ground, as the bullets ring out. One assailant is seen strolling calmly among the other vehicles on the motorway. Then, here, you can make out the prisoner himself, wearing white trainers, as he emerges from the prison van. The gang sets fire to their own vehicle, the smoke only adding to the chaos. Some of them run towards another car, a white one, to begin their escape. The aftermath, carnage. Two Prison Officers dead, others gravely injured, as their Police Colleagues begin a Painstaking Search for evidence in an attack thats been described as an assault on france itself. Translation they will be | arrested, they will be judged and they will be punished commensurate to the crime that they have committed. This is the man who was freed in the bloody assault 30 year old mohamed amra, a convicted local burglar. But he was also the suspect in a fatal kidnapping in the Southern City of marseille, which is facing an onslaught of gang violence. Amra and his accomplices are now being hunted by hundreds of police officers, from here in rouen, as well as French Special forces from across the country. The burnt out vehicle that initiated the killing, a Starting Point for clues. At the parliament in paris, a minutes silence to honour the victims. The Prime Minister conveying the sense of grief. Translation our grief is that of an entire country, an entire country shocked by this attack of unprecedented violence, by the brutality and cowardice of its perpetrators. Forensic and other specialist investigators spent hours at the scene of the ambush. A violent attack on Security Staff is relatively rare in france, so many have found the level of indiscriminate violence used today chilling. Nick beake, bbc news, rouen, france. Ukraines Energy Operator has rolled out Emergency Blackouts around the country after weeks of russian strikes on power plants left the country unable to deal with a sharp drop in temperatures. It comes as ukraine is struggling to hold back a major Russian Incursion near its second biggest city of kharkiv, one of the most significant Russian Ground attacks since the start of the war. Jonathan beale is near the front line he sent this report. There was some Ukrainian Resistance when Russian Troops first crossed the border. This video shows Ukrainian Border guards trying to stop that advance. But others simply walked in and russias taken more than 50 square miles of ukrainian territory in a matter of days. Russian troops have now entered vovansk. This recent drone feed shows a fierce fight for the town. Even ukraines most senior commanders admit the situation is critical and tense. One reason why theyre now restricting access to the front. People living close to the fighting taking everything they can, by any means possible, are leaving in their hundreds. The local officials are trying to dispel any sense of panic. Translation no, we were not surprised by this attack. We just didnt know where exactly it would happen. We knew that some kind of attack was expected and that they would look for a place to find the weakness. He said the situation had stabilised, but thats not how it felt to valentina, who had to be rescued from her home. Translation it wasnt ust loud, it was very loud. H we hardly had time to get out. The russians were already close. Really close. Yana had already packed her belongings before this latest russian attack. Yes, we were ready because all the warnings were just clear that that could happen. And do you think the Ukrainian Army was ready . I dont think so. This is what the russians left behind the first time they were here in 2022 a village completely destroyed and deserted. And just a few miles up there, the russians are doing exactly the same again in this latest assault. Kharkiv city is where thousands are taking refuge, but it too is only 20 miles from the russian border. Many here have already endured occupation, then liberation, and theyre having to live through the trauma once again. Jonathan beale, bbc news, kharkiv. Also in ukraine today, americas top diplomat, Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken, made an unannounced visit. He said the war with russia was at a critical moment and promised unwavering us support with this message for moscow. Theres one more crucial step that we can take, making russia pay for ukraines recovery and reconstruction. What putin destroyed, russia should and must pay to rebuild. Lets speak to michael bociurkiw, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and Global Affairs analyst. Many thanks for your time on the programme. You Havejust Beenin the programme. You havejust been in ukraine. How is secretary blinken� s visit likely to be received . {iii likely to be received . Of course. Likely to be received . Of course, promises of aid are good, any message that the aid that the United States pledged is going to be sped up is very, very good, but at the moment these are just words, and unfortunately words dont deter russian missiles the way patriots do. This is what im hearing from the ukrainians as well, is that they are quite exhausted of western leaders coming to kyiv and taking selfies with mr zelensky. The other thing i have to say is i travelled hundreds of miles this past week in ukraine, mostly between kyiv and odesa, and all during that time, all i saw was one. You wouldve thought given what mr blinken has said, there would be convoy after convoy after convoy of military aid being moved. Now, a lot of it is being moved at night by train and rode, but this is, this was a surprise to me, i have to say. This is, this was a surprise to me, i have to say. So, this is the first me, i have to say. So, this is the first visit me, i have to say. So, this is the first visit since me, i have to say. So, this is the first visit since the the first visit since the us passed that aid bill for ukraine, and we are seeing russian progress on the northeastern front. Did the aid come too late . Come too late . Absolutely, it came too come too late . Absolutely, it came too late. Come too late . Absolutely, it came too late. Maga come too late . Absolutely, it came too late. Maga republicans try to block it here in the United States. Its absolutely disgusting, and there is going to come the day where they are going to have to account for it. There is going to come a day where they have to explain, why is it that mr putin was nonstop in ukraine, that he went further into native territory, and what that does, that will require us and other western boots on the ground. Nato territory. They have a lot of expanding to do, but we are all thinking of the needless loss of life, infrastructure, soldiers on the front line. Had that aid, earlier, we would not be in the position we are in kharkiv for example. find be in the position we are in kharkiv for example. And there were massive kharkiv for example. And there were massive delays kharkiv for example. And there were massive delays to kharkiv for example. And there were massive delays to that. Kharkiv for example. And there | were massive delays to that aid package. As we approach the us election whats the sentiment at home with regards to ukraine . At home with regards to ukraine . � ,. , ukraine . Its not looking very aood. I ukraine . Its not looking very good i mean. Ukraine . Its not looking very good. I mean, i ukraine . Its not looking very good. I mean, ithink ukraine . Its not looking very good. I mean, i think not ukraine . Its not looking very| good. I mean, i think not only thisjurisdiction but good. I mean, i think not only this jurisdiction but many others, taxpayers are getting wary of funding the ukraine war. Thats because the narrative has been explained very poorly, i think, by ukraine and by washington. They have to make it clear to people this is notjust a ukraine war, this is notjust a ukraine war, this is notjust a ukraine war, this is turning into a global war, so its very, very important that other means be found, for example, unfreezing russian assets, which is not an easy task, but another way of getting a two ukraine. Michael bociurkiw, getting a two ukraine. Michael bociurkiw, level getting a two ukraine. Michael bociurkiw, Level Affairs bociurkiw, Level Affairs analyst, thank you very much for your time analyst, thank you very much foryourtime analyst, thank you very much for your time getting aid to ukraine. Lets take a look at the latest developments in the war in gaza. The Prime Minister of qatar, which has been trying to mediate a ceasefire between israel and hamas, says that talks have virtually reached a stalemate. He added that people in gaza have not received any aid since the 9th of may. The United Nations says that almost 450,000 palestinians have fled from the Southern Gaza city of rafah in the last week. It follows warnings from the Israeli Military to people taking shelter there to leave. The rafah crossing, which has been used to bring large amounts of humanitarian supplies into gaza, currently remains closed. Israel and egypt have blamed each other for that closure. People are also fleeing from jabalia, in the north of gaza, as Israel Presses on with what it says is an operation to prevent hamas from regrouping there. Hamas has fired more rockets into southern israel. The Israeli Military says that they were destroyed by the iron dome Missile Shield system, before they could cause any damage. The uks foreign secretary, lord cameron, has condemned attacks on aid convoys crossing the west bank towards gaza. Several aid trucks were ransacked, with reports some were later set on fire. Lord cameron called on israel to do more to allow aid to reach gaza. Now to new york, where Donald Trumps former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen is back on the stand in the former president s hush money trial. He claimed that his ex boss approved a plan to reimburse him for a payment made to the Adult Film Actress stormy daniels. Mr trumps legal team began their Cross Examination they accused mr cohen of being a self confessed liar who lacked credibility and was politically biased. Im joined now by robert moran in washington, a partner at the Brunswick Group and Public Opinion expert. Many thanks for your time on the programme. As this trial continues, how is mr trump faring amongst voters . Are they following the trial . The . Faring amongst voters . Are they following the trial . Following the trial . They are followin following the trial . They are following the following the trial . They are following the trial, following the trial . They are following the trial, but following the trial . They are i following the trial, but donald trump is faring very well. I mean, hes ahead nationally in the last, in the average of the last ten surveys, hes ahead of biden by 1. 2 points, he is a head in five of six of the big swing states, according to the New York Times most recent polling, and so its interesting, because there was this view that the trials would hurt him, the trials and legal issues would hurt him, but in fact they have helped him consolidate his base and it sucked up most of the oxygen of the discussion right now. So it has not helped him and it may be. It has not hurt him and maybe helping him. We be. It has not hurt him and maybe helping him. We signed at the courthouse maybe helping him. We signed at the Courthouse Reading maybe helping him. We signed at the Courthouse Reading from maybe helping him. We signed at the Courthouse Reading from a. The Courthouse Reading from a paper, which he has done a few times we saw him at the courthouse. He is also spoken off the cuff. How much is the 939 off the cuff. How much is the gag order that thejudge has imposed on him hindering his Campaign Efforts from the courthouse . 50 Campaign Efforts from the courthouse . Campaign efforts from the courthouse . , , courthouse . So that is the big question. Courthouse . So that is the big question, and courthouse . So that is the big question, and that courthouse . So that is the big question, and that may courthouse . So that is the big question, and that may be courthouse . So that is the big i question, and that may be what hurts him the most here. So, because he has to sit in trial, he is not instrument the country and doing all these big rallies that he loves barnstorming. He gets his energy from it. He is almost a 19th century politician, in that effect. He campaigns by big rallies. So hes not doing as many of those, so that may be the thing that most hurts him, but hes not being hurt in the Public Opinion data that we all have and are looking at, and that i think is absolutely fascinating. Whats happened is, his supporters view these as sort of selective prosecution and so called lawfare attacks, biden supporters already think he is guilty, theres not much of a middle, and the middle is focused on economy and inflation and here we are, and its become a courtroom drama, and it donald trump is a master of the spectacle, and thats what we are in. What we are in. Yes, it has been quite what we are in. Yes, it has been quite a what we are in. Yes, it has been quite a political been quite a political spectacle for him. He is ahead in some polls. Do you see that changing with the outcome . Will it affect voter sentiment, and if so, how . I it affect voter sentiment, and if so. How . If so, how . I do not believe that the if so, how . I do not believe that the legal if so, how . I do not believe that the legal issues if so, how . I do not believe that the legal issues and i if so, how . I do not believe| that the legal issues and the trials, etc, materially impacted this race. I believe that this race is won and lost on perceptions of the economy, the fight and ministration has time to change perceptions of the economy, but that window is drinking Biden Administration for i also believe the race is likely to close and be super tight because biden, the president is underperforming with the number of more loosely affiliated democratic voters, Younger Voters, younger black men, latinos who are shifting right, and so what they need to do is basically shift their perceptions, of the economy, and try to bring home Younger Voters who are little bit disaffected, and then try to bring home voters of colour, and i think, i suspect, bring home voters of colour, and i think, isuspect, the race tightens and is a very close one. Race tightens and is a very close one close one. We will have to leave it close one. We will have to leave it there. Close one. We will have to leave it there. Robert close one. We will have to i leave it there. Robert moran, partner at the Brunswick Group, many thanks for your time. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. You are watching newsday. The first report by investigators into the collapse of a bridge in the us city of baltimore says the ship that crashed into it had suffered multiple electrical blackouts before the collision. The dali lost power both before and then after leaving port. The report issued by the National Transportation safety board is the first detailed look at what went wrong, although it says investigators are still exploring what caused the failures. Live now to washington and our correspondent helena humphrey. Helena, great to see you. What does the report say about what led to the crash . 1th does the report say about what led to the crash . Led to the crash . As you say, this is a led to the crash . As you say, this is a preliminary this is a preliminary investigation, it offers us that first glimpse into exactly what happened in the early hours of the morning on the 26th of march, its a 2k page report, looking through it, the top line here is essentially that those electrical Power Outages happened twice in the early hours of march 26, but then also about ten hours earlier,