what's up messages shattered. what's up messages sent to politicians _ shattered. what's up messages sent to politicians in _ shattered. what's up messages sent to politicians in west - sent to politicians in west minister in an mp reportedly admits giving the numbers with up welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm steve lai. the headlines. and the remarkable man from wales, who saved a town hall from fire in world war ii, is honoured on his 100th birthday. welcome to bbc news. broadcasting to viewers in the uk and around the world. we begin with the israel—gaza war. in a notable hardening of tone, president biden has told

israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, that washington's support for his war in gaza will depend on israel taking new and immediate action to protect civilians and aid workers. in theirfirst phone conversation since an israeli air strike killed seven aid workers in central gaza on monday, mr biden also urged israel to take steps towards an immediate ceasefire. it's the first time there has been a public warning to israel about us support. speaking in brussels, us secretary of state antony blinken outlined what president biden had to say, in his call with mr neta nyahu. the president emphasised that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable. he made clear the need for israel to announce a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers. he made clear that us policy with respect to gaza will be determined by our assessment of israel's immediate action on these steps.

he underscored as well that an immediate cease fire is essential to stabilise and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians. and he urged prime minister netanyahu to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home. white house national security adviserjohn kirby was asked — in a press briefing — whether the us was threatening to withhold aid from israel if it doesn't make changes. i'm not going to preview steps. i'm not going to preview decisions that haven't been made yet. but there are things that need to be done. there are too many civilians being killed. the risk to aid workers is unacceptable. now we have certain aid organisations that are reconsidering whether they're even going to be able to continue operations in gaza while famine looms. so there has to be tangible steps. let's see what they announce. let's see what they direct. let's see what they do. but i'm not going to get ahead of that. this is the strongest

language we've seen from biden towards israel, so is the support from the us wavering? i asked our north america correspondent in washington, will vernon it's certainly a significant shift in us policy towards israel and gaza. this is the first time that washington has attempted to leverage american aid in order to influence the conduct of the war in gaza. there has been growing frustration in these statements from president biden from other us officials in recent weeks and months towards israel. president biden said earlier this year that he felt that the israeli military offensive was over—the—top. that was followed by repeated calls from us officials for israel not to conduct inoffensive into the southern garden city of rafah without adequate planning to prevent civilian harm. and now

with the killing of the seven world central kitchen aid workers this appears to of been the last straw for the biden administration. this was essentially an ultimatum to the israelis saying if you don't change the way you wage this war then we will cut off assistance. now crucially, it's not clear exactly what kind of assistance the americans are threatening to withdraw. john kirby, the white house national security spokesperson was drawn on this several times, what kind of assistance would be a threat to him for the america of course is israel's largest supplier of military aid. and the speculation is that perhaps military aid could be included within this threat. tell us about the _ within this threat. tell us about the pressure - within this threat. tell us about the pressure from | within this threat. tell us - about the pressure from biden in the administration facing on the home front in the east. there is a growing chorus of

voices here in the us from congress, from joe biden zoned democratic party over america's support, military support for israel. many of those people including senator chris coons, a democrat from delaware, one ofjoe biden his closest allies. like him many others are calling for the us to either put more controls on military aid put to perhaps reduce or even suspended until israel can demonstrate that it is taking more measures to try and protect civilian life in gaza. this was what president biden was demanding of the israelis today. that israel take concrete steps to reduce civilian harms of a protected aid workers and to reduce humanitarian suffering. although we don't know what

kind of assistance may be cut off if israel does not demonstrate that it's taking the steps we do know that the us is expecting some movement from israel, some response to these demands in the coming hours or days. we these demands in the coming hours or days.— these demands in the coming hours or days. we haven't had to wait long — hours or days. we haven't had to wait long for _ hours or days. we haven't had to wait long for the _ hours or days. we haven't had to wait long for the breaking l to wait long for the breaking news with regard to the steps of the us has asked israel to make. our partner cbs news has learned that the israeli government has approved the opening of three humanitarian corridors after netanyahu was call with biden. nor think gaza will be open, ashton port will be open for humanitarian deliveries and more aid trucks will be allowed to cross israel to gaza by the crossing for of all three of these changes were specifically requested by president biden in the phone call. more on this as well. there is growing pressure on

western governments to suspend arms sales to israel. in the uk, the foreign office says the government continues to have significant concerns over humanitarian access and protection of civilians in gaza . a spokesperson says as part of the government's robust arms export control regime we periodically review advice on israels commitment to international humanitarian law, and ministers act in accordance with that advice". it comes after more than 600 legal experts — including former supreme court justices — wrote to the prime minister rishi sunak saying arms exports to israel should stop because of evidence there's a �*plausible risk of genocide in gaza'. the parents of the american—canadian man who was among the seven aid workers killed in the israeli airstrike in gaza have told the bbc they see it

john flickinjer and sylvia labrecque paid tribute to their son — jacob flickinger — as a loyal and devoted humanitarian worker. they told our correspondent in washington, tom bateman, they rejected israel's explanation of a tragic mistake and have called for an independent investigation. the idf knew exactly who they were and where they were. they were targeted as they were leaving after they dropped the food aid at a known humanitarian warehouse. they were chased down in a sense after the first vehicle was hit. people fled from that vehicle and they were targeted again. the idf continued firing on trucks that were clearly marked with the bright logo of the world central kitchen. they continued firing until all the aid workers were dead. israel claims it was a tragic accident. i think there needs to be an independent investigation.

if it is a tragic accident as a claim, then i think the idf is inept and incompetent and i think israel owes the families and the world an explanation. do you accept that explanation that they've given so far, that this was, they say, a mistake? no, i think it's a joke. i mean, they're saying it in order to protect their own self. but, i mean, you know, i think that, you know, it was meant. they wanted to do it in a way that they want to keep on starving refugees out there. when you had the israeli prime minister say that this happens in war in relation to the death of your son and these other aid workers, what went through your mind? that's an irresponsible comment. anyone looking at the situation when you have 200 aid workers killed delivering

in the process of delivering food aid to a starving population? what does that look like to you? it looks like using food as a weapon. i know this is, you know, a few days in, i can't imagine how things are feeling for you. how do you feel about... the hole this leaves in your life going ahead now? so, yeah, there's definitely a hole in our hearts, a hole in my heart. when i first heard the news of jacob's death, it was, you know, of course, as i said, crushed and shattered. but what i thought of immediately was sandy, jacob's life partner and his son, who was only 18 months old, that their dreams have been completely shattered. the only thing that i think

will help us tremendously isjasper, knowing that throuthasper there is still a part ofjacob's life, you know? and that's one main reason why we're doing what we're doing right now. yeah, i'm an old man. sandy's a young woman. jacob was a young man. they had their whole lives ahead of them. so what hurt, what my mind went to was that... ..all of his hopes and dreams, sandy's hopes and dreams for the future. the life they were building together was destroyed. you know, my father was killed. my father was us military, served in world war two, korean war. he was a fighter pilot. he died when my mother was pregnant with me. i never met him. i grew up without having a father. now my grandson will grow up

without having his father. the senior british conservative mp william wragg has reportedly admitted passing phone numbers of some fellow mps to a person he met on a gay dating app. speaking to the times, mr wragg apologised and said he was scared the individual would have �*compromising things�* on him. the bbc has attempted to contact mr wragg. around 12 people working in westminster are believed to have been targeted, all receiving unsolicited whatsapp messages from suspicious mobile numbers. 0ur political correspondent hannah miller reports. good afternoon, prime minister. good afternoon. questioning the prime minister last week, the senior conservative mp, william wragg. now reported to be at the centre of a romance scam that targeted some of the most powerful people in the country. william wragg told the times newspaper he handed over

the personal phone numbers of colleagues to a person he met on the dating app grindr. he apologised, reportedly saying, "they had compromising things on me, they wouldn�*t leave me alone. they would ask for people, i gave them some numbers, not all of them. i told him to stop. he�*s manipulated me and now i�*ve hurt other people." among the victims, one former mp who last month received this message from a person going by the name of charlie. "long time, no speak", they said. "miss you in westminster". the former mp told me "it seemed so realistic". the last part of that message was "westminster misses you", and that was basically something thatjust friends usually do say anyway to make me feel better. i was embarrassed, thinking i�*m speaking to someone who knows who i am. the messages continue and the former mp admits he doesn�*t have the number saved.

"you should have said," comes the reply, "i used to work in will wragg�*s office when you were here". that reassured him for a while, but it turned out not to be true. when the attacker went on to send a sexually explicit image, the former mp blocked the number. tonight, after william wragg made his disclosure to the times, the former mp says he feels awful for his friend. will is just a victim as much as the rest of us, he said. i hope the authorities can find out who it was. for now, the scale of the scam and who is behind it remains unclear, with the website politico reporting there are at least 12 victims. as leicestershire police said they have opened an investigation into malicious communications targeting one person in their area, a parliamentary spokesperson said they take cyber security extremely seriously and work closely with the government in response to such incidents. hannah miller, bbc news.

around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

38 year old pc sharon beshenivsky was shot and killed, when she attended a robbery at a travel agents in the city of bradford, in 2005. piran ditta khan, who�*s now 75, flew to pakistan shortly after the murder and remained at large until he was arrested by pakistani authorities in 2020 and brought back to the uk. danny savage was at leeds crown court to hear the verdict. killed in the line of duty. pc sharon beshenivsky, shot dead responding to reports of a robbery. she was murdered on her

daughter�*s fourth birthday. this was the scene in november 2005. an attack alarm had been activated at a travel agent�*s in bradford. pc beshenivsky�*s patrol car pulls up opposite. she and her colleague, pc teresa milburn, cross the road to investigate. john brambani watched it happen from his nearby business. as sharon was approaching the door to the universal express, the guys inside burst out and bumped into her and shot her, seemed to shoot her down her vest. this memorial now stands on the spot where pc beshenivsky died. although only three men were involved in the actual raid here, there were seven members of the gang altogether. six of them were subsequently caught, but the seventh has only today been convicted. he fled the country soon after the shooting, and it took a long time to get him back. piran ditta khan went to pakistan.

in 2020, he was arrested and last year was sent back to the uk. 30th of november 2005, murdered police constable sharon beshenivsky. he planned the raid and was a lookout on the day. i'm not murder anybody. but he did murder a west yorkshire police officer. pc sharon beshenivsky lost her life in the most horrific of circumstances, in the line of duty. she will always be remembered. i would like to acknowledge the respect and dignity that sharon�*s family have shown over the past 18 years, and i do hope that today�*s conviction goes some way in enabling them to move on with their lives. after her murder, sharon beshenivsky�*s husband paul visited the scene. he�*s had to live with those events since. i loved her very much, and she were very full of herself in what she did and enjoyed herjob

to the full, sort of thing, enjoyed life to the full. he has been in court for some of this last trial. for the detective who led the original hunt for her killers, there is one thing which still needs to be done. it would be nice for both officers to be formally . recognised for the bravery - which they showed in going to those premises in the knowledge that there was something - seriously taking place there. west yorkshire police never gave up on hunting down all those responsible for their colleague�*s murder. danny savage, bbc news, bradford. let�*s turn our attention to taiwan now where emergency workers are still trying to reach around 600 people either trapped in highway tunnels or cut off in remote areas after wednesday�*s earthquake. almost all are guests and staff of a remote hotel who can�*t leave because of damaged roads. ten people were killed and more than a thousand injured after the island�*s biggest quake in more than a quarter of a century. strict building regulations in taiwan helped prevent a major catastrophe, as our correspondent

rupert wingfield hayes reports. in a high valley gorge in the eastern mountains of taiwan, a badly injured survivor of yesterday�*s quake is winched aboard a rescue helicopter. down below another team works frantically to free someone trapped in a massive rock fall. the huge rescue effort in the mountains here in eastern taiwan is relentless and exhausting. but a steady stream of survivors have been emerging all day. they are being brought to this dressing station to have their injuries are assessed by teams of paramedics. their wounds are quickly cleaned and bandaged, but the mental scars may take much longer to heal. i asked this singaporean couple to describe what they�*ve been through. your worst nightmare coming true. it�*s like they show in the movies. you never think you are going to experience it.

we were in the tunnel when it happened and we felt the earth tremble and we just held on to each other for i don�*t know how long, until it passed. and so we stayed there overnight but the night was a terrible, terrible ordeal with aftershocks, tremors and rocks falling every few minutes. so these are more rescue teams heading up into the mountains here behind me. this is called taroko gorge, and this is a very famous tourist spot, it�*s a very narrow, deep gorge that runs way up into the mountains here. and this is where most of the more than 600 people now listed as trapped are thought to be. this lady has run a little restaurant at the mouth of the gorge here for more than 30 years. she has experienced many quakes living here before, but none prepared herfor this one. "it was completely different," she says. "so much of the mountain has come down. this morning there were still

rocks falling over here. when i was sleeping last night there was an aftershock and as soon as it hit, i leapt up and i ran outside". in hualien city, the buildings badly damaged by yesterday�*s quake still pose a serious threat. frantic work has been going on all day to sure them up and stop them from toppling over. here too, the physical scars from the quake will soon be removed. but not the memory of what it felt like for the people who experienced it. rupert wingfield—hayes, bbc news in hualien, eastern taiwan. let�*s take a look at some other stories in the headlines. thursday marked the nato�*s 75th birthday — but there was no time for celebration as the alliance�*s leaders met in brussels to discuss support for ukraine. speaking to the bbc�*s ukrainecast, the uk�*s foreign secretary said that the us aid package stalled in congress could make all the difference

it was looking a great ukrainian success. i think one of the things i could change the narrative is that american money coming through. he didn�*t say put insane i cannot wait these guys, i can outlast them, digging the firepower, to get the money and support. then you get the prospect of further ukrainian success and crucially just peace. in ukraine, authorities in the city of kharkiv say four people were killed and dozens injured in russian drone attacks. three of the dead were rescuers who�*d rushed to the scene after an earlier attack. meanwhile, proxy russian officials in parts of ukraine occupied by moscow say three people have been killed in ukrainian attacks. it�*s never too late to celebrate a hero — ronald brignall wasjust 16 when he saved cardiff city hall during the blitz in world war ii — armed withjust a sandbag

and a fire hose gripped between his teeth. today, on his 100th birthday, he is being honoured for the first time. tomos morgan reports. on his 100th birthday, ronald brignall is finally being honoured. honoured not for his age, but for an heroic act performed 83 years ago. during the second world war, uk cities did their best to protect themselves, but cardiff wasn�*t alone in taking heavy damage. praise and thanks were given to all of those involved in the effort, with today�*s birthday boy playing a vital role in saving this particular building in the welsh capital. it was in 1941 that a 16—year—old ronald brignall was walking home from college when he spotted an incendiary bomb [and on the roof of city hall. they�*re designed to start fires. he then took it upon himself to climb on the drainpipes of this building twice to help extinguish the flames. firstly with a hose pipe between his hand in his mouth, and secondly with a sandbag.

the local paper described a local lad who was daunted by nothing, acting with daring and courage. there we are. ronald�*s family were present as he received a special certificate today for his efforts from the lord mayor of cardiff. # happy birthday to you...# a celebration for a centurion, for a courageous act performed in the most testing of times. tomos morgan, bbc news. hello. the weather will be throwing all sorts at us over the next few days. some wet weather, some warm weather and some windy weather — particularly driven by storm kathleen. a storm named by the irish weather service for impacts it will have in the republic of ireland over the weekend. but for northern and western parts of the uk it will bring gates and the risk of disruption. here is storm kathleen

developing, still well away to the south—west of our shores. but low pressure already in charge of the scene for friday — rain and snow across scotland. that tending to peter out, but more rain pushing into southern scotland later. for northern ireland, bands of showery rain with sunny spells in between. england and wales, seeing a day of sunny spells and showers. it will be quite windy, particularly around western and southern coasts, but pretty warm — 15 degrees for belfast, 18 for norwich. still cold in the north of scotland, but it will turn milder here as we go through friday night. further bands of heavy rain driving northwards, turning increasingly windy around some western parts, but a very mild start to the weekend. down towards the south, 12 or 13 degrees first thing on saturday. so storm kathleen, this deep area of low pressure well to the west of us, but coming close enough to bring some very strong winds. and with those winds coming from the south, well, they will be pulling some really warm air into the mix. it is likely that saturday will be the warmest day

of the year so far. with some outbreaks of rain moving northwards across scotland, showers following on behind, some decent sunny gaps in between, but i think it is the strength of the wind that could cause some issues, especially around western coast. we�*ll see gusts of 50, 60, maybe 70 miles per hour in exposed spots. so that could cause some travel disruption, maybe a little bit of damage. temperature wise, though — well, values up to 20 or 21 degrees in eastern england and certainly much, much warmer than it has been across the north of scotland. now, storm kathleen, this area of low pressure continuing to track to the north—west of us as we move through saturday night into sunday. still a lot of isobars squeezing together on this chart for sunday, so still very windy. the strongest winds up towards the north west of scotland where there will be gales. yes, there�*ll be some sunny spells, but there�*ll be some heavy perhaps thundery showers and it�*s going to be a windy day for all of us. not quite as warm on sunday. temperatures between

ten and 17 degrees.

bridging the divide — the us treasury secretary is back in china with some thorny economic issues on the agenda. we ask the head of a leading cyber security firm how businesses can protect themselves from al powered cyber attacks.

hello and welcome to asia business report. i�*m steve lai. our top story today us treasury secretary janet yellen is in china with a tough message. in her five day trip, she plans to warn chinese leaders about overproduction and make the case for american businesses in the country. ms yellen is in the southern city of guangzhou, where she is expected to tell chinese vice premier he lifeng that china is producing too many goods in certain sectors. but first, she�*ll be hearing from leaders of us companies about how their businesses are faring in china. and how trade tensions are affecting them. william zarit from the cohen group western companies operating in the chinese market. he says yellen�*s visit is more about form than it is content. the message for her will be to encourage the us government to continue to communicate with the chinese officials.

you know, for a couple of years there was bad