Of hamas, and the two sides have exchanged fire since then. 0ur senior international correspondent 0rla guerin reports from lebanon on the children caught up in israel's bombardments. A warning — you may find elements of this report distressing. Firefighters rushing to another air strike. This one in nabatieh. They carry out the wounded. Not fighters, but children. Israel says it's targeting hezbollah sites. But it's bombing many residential areas. How old are you? he asks. Three fingers are raised. A young generation, now threatened by a war that has already killed at least 50 children this week, like the members of this family, who died together in a strike in beirut. Ali, jalal, fatima and farra, all gone. And iman and talia nasser, who took their last breaths together, also killed by israel's bombardment. But some have made it to safety, having run for their lives. My name is mehdi ahmad and my years old is ten years old. And what has been happening in the last two days? you had to leave your house. The war is very big and very scared and i cry. How did you feel, having to leave your home? were you sad? yes, i was very sad, he says. We left behind half our belongings. A missile landed near us. We went quickly so we wouldn't be hit. His biggest fear, he tells me, is losing his family. Instead of going to school, many lebanese children, like mehdi, are now living in schools and colleges. This could be home for some time. International calls for a ceasefire came to nothing today. 0rla guerin, bbc news, sebline, lebanon. The uk's prime minister keir starmer has stepped up his call for an israel—hezbollah ceasefire, despite israeli ministers�* rejection of the international proposal for a three week pause. In his first speech to the united nations�* general assembly, sir keir called war a catastrophe made by human hands and said the uk was returning to a place of responsible global leadership. I call on israel and hezbollah to stop the violence. Step back from the brink. We need to see an immediate ceasefire. To provide space for a diplomatic settlement. This is intimately linked to the situation in gaza where, again, we need to see an immediate ceasefire. It shames us all that the suffering in gaza continues to grow. The answer is diplomacy. Here in washington, president volodymyr zelensky has met presidentjoe biden and vice—president kamala harris at the white house to outline his plan for a ukrainian victory against russia. Ahead of the visit president biden announced around $8 billion worth of military assistance for ukraine. The package includes a new air defence system and long—range weapons. President biden did not appear to sign—off on one of kyiv�*s key requests, however, to use us missiles to hit targets deeper inside russia. The two leaders spoke briefly after the meeting emphasising the importance of their partnership. Let me be clear. Russia will not prevail in the war. Russia will not prevail. Ukraine will prevail and we will continue to stand by you every step of the way. Today we have a new support package. $7. 9 billion. This will be a great help and i raised with president biden a plan of victory. Today we are preparing to discuss the plan. Meanwhile, donald trump has said that he will meet president zelensky on friday in new york. It comes after some confusion as to whether a meeting between the two would take place — after mr trump reportedly rejected an earlier invitation. There was ire from some republican lawmakers on thursday after a visit by president zelensky earlier in the week to an arms in the week to an arms factory in pennsylvania — factory in pennsylvania — where he was joined by multiple where he was joined by multiple democratic lawmakers. Democratic lawmakers. Speaker of the house mike speaker of the house mike johnson said mr zelensky�*s johnson said mr zelensky�*s visit was, quote, designed visit was, quote, designed to help democrats — to help democrats — and that it amounted and that it amounted to election interference. To election interference. He then demanded ukraine he then demanded ukraine fire its ambassador to the us. Fire its ambassador to the us. Separately, at an event separately, at an event in north carolina on wednesday, in north carolina on wednesday, donald trump said he didn't donald trump said he didn't understand why ukraine did not understand why ukraine did not cede territory to russia. Cede territory to russia. With me now is congressman gabe with me now is congressman gabe amo — a democrat who sits amo — a democrat who sits on the house committee on the house committee on foreign affairs and on foreign affairs and the subcommittee on europe. The subcommittee on europe. Thank you forjoining us. Thank you forjoining us. Residence zelensky in residence zelensky in washington today met the washington today met the president, the vice president president, the vice president and met a bipartisan group of washington today met the president, the vice presi�* and logjam between yourself and republican congress people and if donald trump should be elected he has made certain comments about ukraine that have been interpreted as perhaps that support not being there. . , perhaps that support not being there. . , , ,. , ,. , , there. That is states of these elections _ there. That is states of these elections are _ there. That is states of these elections are so _ there. That is states of these elections are so high. There. That is states of these elections are so high. I elections are so high. I hesitate to get into electoral politics for this particular pressing matter but it does have consequences. This november. So i note that voters across this country will be making their voices heard as to their support which, you see in opinion polls, americans are supportive of this engagement and support of ukraine against vladimir putin and russia's illegal invasion. I vladimir putin and russia's illegal invasion. — illegal invasion. I want to ick illegal invasion. I want to ick u illegal invasion. I want to pick up on _ illegal invasion. I want to pick up on something illegal invasion. I want to | pick up on something you illegal invasion. I want to pick up on something you said a moment ago which you are in support of lifting restrictions on these long—range sales which is what president zelensky desperately wants. He wants it that way he asks every time he comes to the country and president biden has yet to do that. Why have he not done that yet? that. Why have he not done that et? y ,. That. Why have he not done that et? g ,. ,. , , that. Why have he not done that et?. ,. , that. Why have he not done that et?. , , yet? myself and many of my colleagues _ yet? myself and many of my colleagues in _ yet? myself and many of my colleagues in congress yet? myself and many of my colleagues in congress have| colleagues in congress have made the case on why we believe this is necessary. We want ukraine to achieve victory. I think that the white house and the administration will continue to hear our appeals, as well as the appeal from president zelensky himself and this is something that i believe we will reach a solution on. — believe we will reach a solution on. Do you have a sense that _ solution on. Do you have a sense that the _ solution on. Do you have a sense that the president l solution on. Do you have a i sense that the president may change his position on this? i am not certain. But i do know that my voice along with the voice of many other lawmakers is encouraging a change in that position and time will tell. Is it a case the situation is getting to a point where it is an imperative for president biden to change? my belief in the strategy that the ukrainians would pursue would be greatly benefited by this approach and to complement that military package that the president put forward today, that $8 billion including the long—range missiles. If we are able to unlock that ability that will be pushed ukraine closer towards victory. Talking about lifting — closer towards victory. Talking about lifting restrictions closer towards victory. Talking about lifting restrictions when | about lifting restrictions when it comes to another part of military aid that the us is providing this time to israel there are calls from some quarters for restrictions to be put in place there, that it is time for the us to exert that level of influence over israel as it tries to reach a ceasefire deal with gaza and also with lebanon. What is your view of what should happen? we have view of what should happen? 7 have duelling situations right now, both in terms of hezbollah and israel. Iam now, both in terms of hezbollah and israel. I am supportive of the ceasefire proposal that has been put forward. I am hopeful that israel and hezbollah can come to an agreement there for an immediate action to reduce the impact on civilians. Similarly i encourage an immediate ceasefire with this situation between hamas and israel and gaza. We need an end, we need to have hostages returned. We need humanitarian responses that meet the moment. So i am hopeful that as part of all those discussions we consider the human impact, first and foremost and that is what i am hopeful we will be able to achieve. [30 what i am hopeful we will be able to achieve. — what i am hopeful we will be able to achieve. Do you think that conditions _ able to achieve. Do you think that conditions should able to achieve. Do you think that conditions should be that conditions should be attached to the military aid that the us is providing? i think those conditions are part of the ongoing conversation between the united states and israel in both the military strategy and also achieving humanitarian means. So i believe it is a component of what needs to be achieved. What what needs to be achieved. What is our what needs to be achieved. What is your view. _ what needs to be achieved. What is your view, just _ what needs to be achieved. What is your view, just to _ what needs to be achieved. What is your view, just to answer? what needs to be achieved. What is your view, just to answer? i i is your view, just to answer? i firmly believe that we have to use our influence over israel to achieve the most, the least harmful, rather, set of response to what is a certain situation that exists with the war but i do believe that that is part of an overall. . . . Does using that influence amount to conditioning the aid? i think it can be a component of that, certainly. It can be a component of that, certainly— it can be a component of that, certainly. Congressmen, thank ou so certainly. Congressmen, thank you so much — certainly. Congressmen, thank you so much for— certainly. Congressmen, thank you so much forjoining certainly. Congressmen, thank you so much forjoining us certainly. Congressmen, thank you so much forjoining us on | you so much forjoining us on bbc news. Right now, florida is feeling the impacts of the massive hurricane helene as its expected to make landfall in the next few hours. It's now a category four storm, with sustained winds of more than 200 kilometres or nearly 140 miles per hour and it's already causing major flooding in flordia. Officials have warned of a potentially catastrophic and unsurvivable storm surge when it makes landfall in the big bend area, south of the capital, tallahassee in the coming hours. This footage just this footagejust coming this footage just coming in now from tampa. And while it is not expected to take a direct hit it is still seeing a lot of trouble from the outer bands. This is taylor county that is expected to take a direct hit from the storm when it makes landfall. 0n from the storm when it makes landfall. On that image we can see high wind and a lot of rain there already. 0fficials warn of catastrophic and un— survivable storm surge when it makes landfall in the big bend area south of tallahassee. Florida's governor, ron desantis, said conditions were going to be too dangerous to navigate. Airports at tampa and tallahassee are already closed and mass evacuation orders are in force. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Let's look at some other stories making news. A labour plan to toughen up the abolition of non—domicile tax status is be reconsidered by the treasury. Ministers had hoped the £1 billion raised would go towards extra nhs appointments and school breakfast clubs. But officials now believe the policy may not raise that amount — or any money at all. The model naomi campbell has been banned from being a charity trustee for five years after a watchdog found her charity, fashion for relief was not passing on as much of the money raised as it was supposed to. Instead it was being spent on hotel rooms, cigarettes and security for campbell, among other unauthorised payments. Heavy rain and flash flooding has hit parts of england as the met office warns further downpours are expected into friday. Drivers have been warned to take care travelling on flooded roads, particularly in parts of central of central and southern england, following days of heavy showers. Travel delays are expected into the weekend. The met office is warning some communities may also be cut off by the flooding. You're live with bbc news. The sudanese army has launchrf a major offensive against their rivals the paramilitary rapid support forces. This was the scene in khartoum, thursday. The country has been embroiled in vicious civil war for nearly 18 months, when the rival military forces — who had been ruling jointly — fell out over the path back to democracy. The un has said the conflict has created one of the worlds largest humanitarian crisis, with 150,000 people killed and ten million displaced. The bbc�*s barbara plett usher has been given rare access, by the army to the front line — and sent this report from the city of 0mdurman. Woman cries. Sudan is at breaking point. Just outside the capital city is a crossing between the warring parties. These women have come out of rsf territory. They carry bags to buy food and also tales of horror. I asked them why they didn't leave. We're too poor, they told me. We have nowhere else to go. Almost a year and a half of civil war has destroyed parts of this city and other areas of the country. One of the fiercest battles took place here, in 0mdurman market. It was the largest market in sudan, but you can see the level of destruction now. 0ver several months of intense fighting, the army defeated the rsf in these streets, but the capital is still an active war zone, and diplomatic attempts to end the wider conflict so far have failed. We were escorted at all times by the military, who took us to the front line. Both sides are accused of war crimes, the rsf more so than the army. Charges they deny. I spoke with the commander leading the latest operation. We're at a last line of defence for the sudanese armed forces in a part of southern 0mdurman. You can see the barrier here and beyond it, less than a kilometre away, is the rsf, and in between is a no man's land where there are snipers. And we'vejust heard sniper fire. There's also regular artillery fire, another danger here. But it's sexual violence that's become a defining characteristic of the conflict. One woman told us rsf fighters broke into her house, demanding to rape her two daughters. The youngest was ten years old. We've chosen not to identify her, for her own safety. Then one of the men raped her. It's late morning — time for the women we met to start the walk back home. For as long as this war goes on, they have no choice but to return to its horrors. Barbara plett usher, bbc news, 0mdurman. Kenya is a key player in the region and in sudan's peace process. Its president, william ruto is in new york for the annual meeting of the united nations general assembly. In a sit—down interview with my colleague, sumi somaskanda, the country's president, william ruto spoke about the war in sudan, the kenyan—led un operation in haiti, and his own government's response to protests in june. Thank you forjoining us on bbc news today. It thank you for “oining us on bbc news today. — news today. It is good to have ou. News today. It is good to have you thank — news today. It is good to have you thank you _ news today. It is good to have you. Thank you very _ news today. It is good to have you. Thank you very much news today. It is good to have you. Thank you very much and j you. Thank you very much and thank you for having me. I would like to start with the situation in haiti because i know this is something you've been talking quite a bit about here at the un. Just visited haiti and it is rocked by gang violence and you said that kenya will deploy hundreds more police officers and that the deployment will be completed by january, i understand. What deployment will be completed by january, i understand. — january, i understand. What did ou january, i understand. What did you witness _ january, i understand. What did you witness on _ january, i understand. What did you witness on the _ january, i understand. What did you witness on the ground? january, i understand. What did you witness on the ground? i i you witness on the ground? i listened to the leadership of haiti, the political leadership and i listened to the commanders in haiti and i listened to the haitian police leadership and what has been achieved in 100 days is phenomenal. The palace is now safe, the airport is now safe, the hospital is now 0k, safe, the airport is now safe, the hospital is now ok, the police academy has been recovered and policemen are now being trained. The port is fairly quiet so the challenge we have is that we only have 400 security supporting the haitian police. If we had 2500 we would talk about a different story and that is why i took the decision when i went to haiti and realised the progress that had been made on the ground and realised that the impediment is the numbers because territory that has been recovered and not be contained because there are fewer offices than are required. There for i made a decision that next month we will send 300 security personnel and in november we will send another 300 and i am going to work with all of the partner countries, the us, canada, korean, burundi and chad and all the other countries that have, including benin, that have committed to deploying troops so that we can do this because i believe that within a year we should be able to complete that task and be able. . . . , ,. ,, , able. . . . To stabilise the situation? _ able. . . . To stabilise the situation? you able. . . . To stabilise the situation? you are i able. . . . To stabilise the i situation? you are describing progress on the bbc speak to people on the ground to say that many haitians are disillusioned with the deployment so far because they say gang violence and gangs have tightened their grip. Did ou have tightened their grip. Did you witness _ have tightened their grip. D c you witness that? i think the people of haiti are entitled to feel that not doing enough and because of the desperate situation that people have, that the people have been subjected to four years i am confident that this time around, looking at the situation, assessing and listening to the commanders i think we have a good chance to stabilise haiti and i will spare no effort in mobilising the international community towards that goal. The the international community towards that goal. A question on diplomacy. _ towards that goal. A question on diplomacy, sudan towards that goal. A question on diplomacy, sudan and i towards that goal. A question on diplomacy, sudan and the| on diplomacy, sudan and the ongoing conflict there. You have pushed for warring parties to find a diplomatic solution. Why is it so hard to get the warring parties to sit down? because they do not have value for human life, i think. With sides of the divide, they hijacked the people's revolution and the people of sudan removed the dictator regime that existed but that revolution was hijacked by military men. And they put the country to war. It is time, and i was very happy that finally the united nations has passed a resolution, 2719, that now we give african piece initiative, funding from the un. That way we can be able to govern the muscle and the will to solve some of those challenges in our continent, even piece keith king efforts. I am confident and to my mind there has to be and to my mind there has to be a different approach to what is going on in sudan. We must bring the other actors, the political parties, the civil society, women, youth, into the equation. This cannot be continued to be held hostage. You know there has been criticism at home in kenya as well about this deployment and well about this deployment and we saw amnesty international and can you release a report about what happened during protests in your country. They say kenyan police out of uniform with no official identification fired live rounds at demonstrators. Is that true?— that true? that is the assertion _ that true? that is the assertion of that true? that is the assertion of amnesty| assertion of amnesty international. The situation in kenya is different and we have an independent police authority that investigates every allegation. So that investigates every allegation. — that investigates every allewation. Allegation. So you say the re ort allegation. So you say the report is _ allegation. So you say the report is not _ allegation. So you say the report is not true? allegation. So you say the report is not true? the i report is not true? the exercises _ report is not true? the exercises going report is not true? the exercises going on i report is not true? the exercises going on and report is not true? the i exercises going on and in report is not true? iie: exercises going on and in fact the situation that you are discussing is under investigation in kenya. I do not think anybody can arrive at the conclusion that this or that happened unless and until an independent investigation is carried out. Any criticism, there are many pessimists and critics, there are people who never thought that this deployment would happen and that we would make any significant progress. That sentiment, even in kenya, is changing because people are realising there is progress being made on the ground. If your independent investigation comes to the conclusion that there was misconduct by the police, will there be consequences? police, will there be consewuences? ~ ,. , consequences? absolutely. That is wh we consequences? absolutely. That is why we have _ consequences? absolutely. That is why we have an _ consequences? absolutely. That is why we have an independent i is why we have an independent institution and tenure is a functional democracy. We are robustly democratic and we have institutions, we have an independentjudiciary, a parliament that works and an executive that is held accountable by all agencies including independent institutions like the independent. . . . Institutions like the independent. . . Institutions like the inde endent. . . . , , institutions like the indeendent. . . . , ,. , independent. . . . That is it for the moment. _ independent. . . . That is it for the moment. You _ independent. . . . That is it for the moment. You can independent. . . . That is it for the moment. You can keep. The moment. You can keep up—to—date with everything on our website. We are running a hurricane live page there where you can keep up—to—date on everything to do with hurricane helene. We can tell you the eye wall has now moved on shore along the coast of florida's bend. You can keep up with the latest there. Take you for watching and stay us here on bbc news. Hello there. The month of september can often be quite a turbulent one. The transition from summer into autumn and the final full week of september has been just that. Look at thursday's rain. A lot of heavy rain drifting out of northern england and northern ireland. This darker blue here, a line of torrential thundery showers with some hail in there as well. Already still with days to spare, woburn in bedfordshire has had its wettest september on record, but it's also had its wettest month ever on record, and we've got an amber weather warning which will remain in force for the next few hours. And so we are just going to continue to add to those rainfall totals. So a line of heavy rain will move its way south out of the midlands, down into southern england and south—east england. Behind it, the wind direction swinging around to a northerly. A few scattered showers with elevation could turn a little wintry as well, as it turns colder from the north, so this weather front slowly eases away during the day this friday and then behind it, that colder air starts to tuck in. A real noticeable difference to the feel of our weather story. So yes, it will be a wet start across east anglia, south—east england. For a time that rain clearing perhaps away from the kent coast by lunchtime and then quite an improvement, actually. Some sunshine coming through. A few scattered showers, but a brisk northerly wind making it feel quite cool out there. Eight to 14 degrees below par for this stage of the month. Now, as we move out of friday into the weekend, we start with this ridge of high pressure. A quiet start to the weekend, but there's more wet weather to come as we move into sunday. But with that high pressure, well, that means we could have quite a chilly start first thing on saturday morning. Temperatures and sheltered glens of scotland and northeast england down below freezing, so a frost is not out of the question here. We will continue to see the wind direction swinging around to more of a north westerly that will drive in showers on saturday across exposed west coast, and one or two running down through the cheshire gap as well. Top temperatures on sunday at around 15 degrees, the best of the sunshine in sheltered southern and eastern areas. Then, as we move out of saturday into sunday, here's that rain. And it means an unsettled start into next week slowly improving. Voiceover: this is bbc news. We'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. Rides and searching popular them at home and abroad. Public finances drained with many families struggling to get by. War on our doorstep and the middle east. And a new world order in which power has shifted both eased to places like china and india and west to the new tech masters of our universe. What can this country learn from those that have run in the past? tony blair spent ten years in power grown from fated to heated.