National security, but did not name any of the diplomats. It said the move was a measure against multiple unfriendly acts. Its not clear whether the diplomats are currently in russia. In response, the Foreign Office here in london says that russia had revoked the staff members diplomatic accreditation last months and that russias accusations against them were completely baseless. The statement adds that the uk was unapologetic about protecting its national interests. For the very latest on this developing story, i spoke to our eastern European Correspondent sarah rainsford. I think the timing of this is key, its not accidental that this has been released, that this is happening precisely as those discussions are taking place in washington about whether or not ukraine can use western long range missiles to strike inside russia. They are absolutely connected. Its interesting looking of a statement from the fsb, the russian security agency, talking about expelling essentially six members of the british embassy, accusing them of espionage and subversive activity. It is interesting, they also go on to talk about britain being responsible for escalating what they describe as the military political situation right now, they say britain is coordinating all of this and claiming that there is a department of the Foreign Office which is specifically dedicated to the strategic defeat of russia. I think all of this needs to be seen in the context of two things. One is about threat, it is about russia saying, look what we can do if you Go Ahead with this. It is also about the narrative within russia. This is about vladimir putin and his system essentially painting the west as enemies and making sure that russians see what is happening, as russia is the victim in all of this, with Western Agents supposedly plotting subversion and trying to undermine and to weaken russia, and russia therefore acting in self defence. Of course, that is absolutely the reverse position that is presented by western politicians, western diplomats, who quite clearly say this is about ukraines right to self defence. This is about protecting ukraine from a War Of Aggression which was started quite clearly by vladimir putin and which he has the power to stop. That was the robust line from keir starmer, the british prime minister, just yesterday on his way to washington. Paul knott is a writer and former british diplomat to ukraine and russia. He gave his perspective on the timing of this move by russia. It is possibly an indication of lack of Options Russia has if it is possibly an indication of the lack of Options Russia has to express its displeasure at this possibly significant change in policy, if that is what actually happens. It doesnt appear to be to do with what the diplomats are actually doing. And we heard from our colleague who was describing how quickly russian media were to jump on this story. It all felt a little bit staged. Is that, from your experience as a diplomat in ukraine and russia, is that something the russian media and state are capable of doing . Oh, yeah. The russian state has taken complete control over the last, lets say decade of all of the media in russia, and any kind of independent media has basically been crushed. Often quite brutally and violently. So what media is left in russia is purely state directed propaganda. So, yes, they are directed and essentially controlled by the kremlin. President putin was saying this idea that if ukraine is given this allowance, if it is permitted to use these long range missiles within russian territory, that it is a direct threat, that it means the west is at war with russia. Who is he talking to, is he talking to the west or his own domestic audience . I think in the main he is talking to his own domestic audience. He had to almost come up with an explanation to the russian people as to why this appalling war was launched in the first place, and why the Russian Armed Forces have been so utterly incapable of winning it against a much smaller country, and take on such heavy losses. So, i think they used that to try to justify to their own people that they are actually fighting against a much bigger force than ukraine alone, which isnt the case. Its interesting to note that he doesnt really explain what moscow would do if this actually does Go Ahead . No, because i honestly think they like options, really. No, because i honestly think they lack options, really. As ive just said, they thought they were going to roll over the much smaller neighbouring country of ukraine really quickly and have totally failed to do that, thanks to a mixture of their own incompetence and corruption, and the resistance of the ukrainians. Its very difficult to conceive that they would actually want to, struggling as they are, sort of pick a fight with much biggerforces, which with nato is the us, canada, pretty much the rest of europe. They are talking about that, but it is hard to see what they would really seriously do. Give us an insight. What on earth is going on in the kremlin . Is President Putin at risk . You know, i think with systems like President Putin, these sort of all powerful dictators, they always look so solid and secure, dont they, until all of a sudden it collapses. There is not really any way that anybody from the outside can get a great insight into what is actually happening, it is such a tightly controlled and small team. But you look at the situation, you look at the problems they have had, you look at the problems it is causing for russia, you would think there must be people in the system somewhere sort of saying, what is he doing and why are we doing this . It is doing so much damage to all of us. What it would appear is most of those people who are left in the system have gone on by grovelling to putin. They probably dont have the capacity or the courage to do much about it right now. Paul not, a former diplomat to ukraine and russia. Going back to that line about ukraine using the long range missiles and put in saying that will mean nato countries, the usa and europe, are fighting with russia. Wejust and europe, are fighting with russia. We just had a statement from dmitry peskov, from the kremlin, who says the statement made yesterday is a very important one, it is extremely clear and unambiguous. We are in no doubt this statement has reached its addressees. To the west ought to the own domestic audience is another matter. A few lines coming from that on our website. There is Life Age we will come back to you through the day here on bbc news. Now, lets turn to sweden. To sweden next, where the funeral has taken place of the former England Football Manager Sven Goran Eriksson, who died last month, aged 76. David beckham, who served as captain under eriksson, is among the mourners at the service, which was held in erikkson s hometown of torsby. As englands first foreign coach, between 2001 and 2006, he led the team to the Quarter Finals of two world cups. Footballjournalist henry winter, whos in torsby, told us how some of the greats of the game had gathered to pay tribute. The world of football is gathering here and representatives from the football association, former england managers like roy hodgson, as you say, sven s former captain David Beckham is flying in. Local tv Have Literallyjust had a camera pointed at the runway at karlstad waiting for beckhamsarrival. Waiting for beckhams arrival. But its also a big family event. Lina and johan, sven s children, were going round the hotels last night, seeing old friends and relatives, and just sort of welcoming everyone to say farewell to their father. You mentioned David Beckham, and he went to visit sven before he died because sven played a huge part in beckhams redemption, didnt he . He did. I mean, petertaylor was the one, as caretaker before sven, who appointed David Beckham as captain in turin. But absolutely, eriksson and beckhams careers with england are pretty much intertwined. I thought it was very beautiful the way that David Beckham flew out here a few months ago to say a sort of private farewell to sven. And in a typical gesture from beckham, he brought wines of a vintage of the years that meant so much to sven. So i thought that was very thoughtful. But also, it shows the type of Respect And Affection that sven engendered in his players. You saw it with the outpouring of grief from his former players, gerrard, lampard, gary neville, players like that, but also from the public generally. Because even though Sven Wasnt englands greatest manager, three Quarter Finals, possibly could have done more but for metatarsals and penalties, and one or two tactical decisions, but he was loved by the public because he was a man who enjoyed life. He also transcended past football, because of the headlines that often a lot of the tabloids did, but he was one of those people you just knew by the Name Sven . Well, absolutely. I mean, maybe not quite pele level, but absolutely the Name Sven, or svennis, as they call him here in remote sweden, absolutely. He was loved. I think it was because of his grace under pressure. When youve got people like me in the media throwing Hand Grenades at him in press conferences, hejust dealt with it and was just very calm. As he always used to say to his players, if he got sacked or had some adversity or some headline on the front page, he would just open the bottle of Champagne And Toast life. Henry winter remembering Sven Goran Eriksson whose funeral is happening today. He was speaking to my colleague, nicky schiller. Lets get some of the day s other news now. North korea has given a rare public glimpse inside its nuclear programme releasing pictures taken during a visit to a facility by the countrys leader, kim jong un. State media showed these photos of mr kim walking between long rows of what appear to be Uranium Enrichment machines as he toured the nuclear weapons institute. Thousands of Boeing Workers have begun the first strike at the us Plane Maker in sixteen years. The stoppage is expected to bring operations to a halt at plants in seattle and portland, home to most of the companys commercial plane manufacturing. Union members at the firms West Coast factories overwhelmingly rejected a Contract Offer from the firm, which included a Twenty Five Percent Pay Rise over four yea rs. Firefighters in california are still battling three major wildfires which have been raging near Los Angeles for the past six days, burning more than ioo thousand acres of land. A State Of Emergency was declared earlier in the week, while thousands of homes have been evacuated. Twelve people have been injured, most of them firefighters. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Welcome back. The decision to grant Planning Permission for what would have been the uks first new Coal Mine in 30 years has been quashed in the High Court. The judgment in the case was described by Friends Of The Earth as fantastic news and a huge victory for our environment. Judge Mrjustice Holgate said in his ruling that the earlier Go Ahead for the development at Whitehaven In Cumbria had been legally flawed. Lets speak to our north of england correspondent, rowan bridge. Bring is Up To Date with what has been decided today or has been revoked. Been revoked. What has been revoked as been revoked. What has been revoked as the been revoked. What has been revoked as the planning revoked as the Planning Permission for this mine it to be given the Go Ahead. This has been a very long, almost tortuous saga. It began in 2017 when West Cumbrian Mining applied for Planning Permission to build this mine in Whitehaven In Cumbria, the first new man in the uk for 30 years. Since then, it has gone through several rounds of Planning Permission applications, Cumbria County Council level, and ultimately went to a public inquiry in a Planning Inspectors report which landed on the desk of the Secretary Of State two years ago. At that point it was michael gove, and he ultimately decided to give the minor Planning Permission to allow it to Go Ahead. That was controversial even at the time, there were several high profile critics of the idea, including the government because my own climate advisory committee. Subsequent to that decision, there was a legal challenge launched by two environmental campaign groups, Friends Of The Earth and a group based in cumbria called slack who opposed the decision and believed it had been legally flawed in the way it was carried out. And then today, we had thejudgment as carried out. And then today, we had the judgment as you said from the High Court which backed Friends Of The Earth and environmental campaigners, who said the decision to allow Planning Permission for the mind to Go Ahead was legally flawed. What that means in the chain of events is that this will now go back to the Secretary Of State, now angela rayner, the deputy prime minister, and community secretary, where she will have to decide whether to give it Planning Permission again. Now, it is also possible that West Cumbrian Mining could decide they want to try and challenge of this legal decision at a higher court in the uk, but West Cumbrian Mining are not saying at the moment what their next move is going to be. They say that they will consider the Verdict Today before they decide what the next step will be. ~ ,. decide what the next step will be. ~ ,.. Decide what the next step will be. ~ i ,. be. Thank you very much for brinuain be. Thank you very much for bringing us be. Thank you very much for bringing us uptodate. Now for the latest on the race for the white house. And Donald Trump says he will not take part in another televised debate with Vice President Kamala Harris in the Run Up to the president Al Election in november. This he claims to have won Tuesday Nights debate although several Opinion Polls suggest his rival performed better. Our correspondent Jenny Kumah sent this report from washington. From the lakes of minnesota. Donald trump back on the campaign trail. Speaking to supporters in the key Battleground State of arizona last night, he confirmed something hed posted on Social Media a few hours earlier. So because weve done two debates and because they were successful, there will be no third debate. This decision came just a few days after his first live president ial debate with Kamala Harris. Hes claimed victory, even though several Snap Polls suggest his rival did better. When a prizefighter loses a Fight Youve seen a lot of fights, right . The first words out of that Fighters Mouth is, i want a rematch i want a rematch and thats what she said. I want a rematch. Polls clearly show that i won the debate against comrade Kamala Harris. Donald trumps not normally one to back off a fight, but hes decided therell be no more tvjousts with his political opponent. Kamala harris, at her own rally last night, said she was ready for round two. Two nights ago, Donald Trump and i had ourfirst debate. Cheering. And i believe we owe it to the voters to have another debate. Cheering. The abc News President ial debate. Some 67 Million viewers tuned in to watch Tuesday Nights debate the first time the pair went up against each other and now we know it will be the last. Shes a marxist. Everybody knows shes a marxist. People start leaving his rallies early out of exhaustion and boredom. It was a debate that sparked some interesting moments. In springfield, theyre eating the dogs, the people that came in, theyre eating the cats. Theyre eating. Polls suggest the two candidates are in an extremely tight race, with just two months to go before novembers election. Jenny kumah, bbc news, washington. Oui our bbc verify team have been looking at those claims. That is on our website. In nigeria, the governor of Borno State has told the bbc that up to Two Million people have been affected by major flooding in the region. Borno, in the North East of the country on the border with cameroon, has seen thousands of homes destroyed by flooding. In neighbouring chad, at least Three Hundred people have died as a result of weeks of unusually heavy rain. These are some of the latest Drone Pictures from the floods which followed the collapse of a dam earlier this week during intense rainfall. Thousands of people are desperately sh