welcome to the programme here from our singapore newsroom, i want to start the programme with this from benjamin netanyahu — "if we have to stand alone, we will stand alone." those are the words of the israeli pm, after us presidentjoe biden confirmed the white house had paused a delivery of munitions, that could be used in a major assault on the city of rafah, in the south of gaza. for weeks america has said such an attack would lead to many civilian deaths — with more than a million palestinians sheltering in the southern city. the relationship between the two countries is more strained now that at any time for a generation. haitham is trapped. after three operations for a bullet wound that punctured his lung, he needs treatment abroad. all set to leave until israel captured and closed the rafah crossing.

forced to wait in a tent. "i feel helpless," he says. "the world is powerless to open the border. "the hospitals here can no longer help me." just when rafah�*s need is greatest, its main hospital lies silent and abandoned, hastily evacuated in the face of israel's sudden advance, now dangerously close to the front line. israel insists its operation is limited. but new images of tanks massing on the border earlier this week have raised fears that rafah�*s densely populated centre could soon be attacked in defiance of washington. translation: if we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. i have already said that, if necessary, we will fight with our nails. last night, a rare warning from president biden — an all—out assault will have consequences.

they go into rafah, i'm not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with that problem. for one former israeli prime minister, this is a significant moment — the current government squandering the goodwill of its most steadfast ally. i ask myself, what did we do that the person that was perhaps more supportive of the state of israel than any president in the history of the relations between the two countries, reached the conclusion that he has to do it? so this is a major turning point. the most dangerous government for the state of israel on these days is not any foreign country. it's the government of israel. with ceasefire talks apparently deadlocked, rafah is being pounded. air strikes

and artillery leaving trails of destruction in a city which still fears an invasion. paul adams, bbc news, jerusalem. earlier, i spoke to colin clarke, director of research at the soufan centre. i began by asking him about his reaction to the former israeli prime minister ehud olmert saying the us israel relationship is at a major turning point. i do. somewhat if you look at one of the things that didn't tweeted out today was hamas lovesjoe biden and it's highly antagonistic and that is quite a counterproductive thing to say because it is pushing american centrists and moderates who would support israel to back away and say why are we supporting this far right extremists cabinet? and there are a lot of variables in play plus we are in an election year in the united states and we are in a bit of an impasse of the moment.

benjamin netanyahu remains defiant and says if we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. will israel continue its operations without us military support? it's a lot of hyperbole on the behalf of benjamin netanyahu, they're not going to stand alone and joe biden is talking about limiting some weapons from certain operation. a lot of hyperbole and exaggeration on the part of benjamin netanyahu who tends to throw fits when he doesn't get his way and joe biden stood strong against the israeli prime minister and it doesn't look like they're on good terms and a lot of playing out in the press by you have to givejoe biden credit for standing up and not being bullied and pushed around by benjamin netanyahu. while the military operations continue so do the talks of release of the hostages. what are these remarks mean for the progress of those talks? it

does not look good. certainly not overly optimistic that a deal will get done especially when you have hard lines within hamas and also within the israeli government who some would suggest have invested interest in not making a deal. there is speculation that netanyahu will try to keep the war going until november in hopes that trump with the election. that may be too cynical but at the end of the day we're talking about human beings that being held hostage, so there is a real humanitarian part that we often neglect to gloss over. part that we often neglect to gloss over-— gloss over. what are you looking _ gloss over. what are you looking for _ gloss over. what are you looking for next - gloss over. what are you looking for next they - gloss over. what are you looking for next they are | looking for next they are tellers which were this conflict could be headed? looking to see the size, the scope and the intensity of israeli operations into rafah. israeli operations into rafah. i wrote a piece for foreign affairs a few months ago, basically watering against israeli military action in

gaza. today even with this operation it is unclear whether they will impact the vast tunnel network of hamas or be successful in killing or capturing high—value targets. the porn star, stormy daniels, at the centre of donald trump's hush money criminal trial, has ended her testimony in court in new york. under fierce cross examination, she was accused of trying to profit from the case. the former president is charged with hiding a payment to her, to cover up an alleged affair, before the 2016 election. he's pleaded not guilty, to sa counts of falsifying business records. sarah smith has the latest from new york. stormy daniels�* lawyer posted this picture of his client, looking very happy to have finished with a hostile cross—examination. in the courtroom, she was repeatedly accused of being a liar, of having made up the story of having sex with donald trump in 2006. referring to her career in adult films, mr trump's attorney said to ms daniels...

she replied... . . referring to her alleged sexual encounter with mr trump and then saying... donald trump denies ever having sex with stormy daniels and claims the case against him is bogus. this is a frankenstein case. they took a dead misdemeanour, they attached it to a dead alleged federal felony and zapped it back into life. so many of us are just amazed to watch us actually walk into court, because it's not a recognisable crime. thejudge and jury kept straight faces as ms daniels described being called a "human toilet" online and replying that she was the best person to flush that �*orange turd' down. because she tweeted a link to her online store selling team stormy merchandise the day mr trump was indicted, ms daniels was accused of trying to make money from this case.

he sends out frequent e—mails to supporters, trying to raise money to defend himself. stormy daniels�* testimony over a day and a half was explicit and explosive, talking about donald trump in black silk pyjamas and describing having sex with him. but it may not have much impact on this criminal case. earlier, i spoke tojulia manchester, political reporter at the hill, and i asked what her main takeaway was. she went into detail and she basically laid out everything that she allegedly claimed happened between her and donald trump. she is one of the key witnesses here in this trial because she is the person at the centre of this hush money payment controversy which is between donald trump, michael cohen and of the 2016 election. in addition to the salacious nature of the testimony, it was very

interesting about how much she went into detail, she talked about how her to hurt the night her and former president trump first met and at their first sexual encounter and is interesting to see and hear that perspective and really hear, ithink, herside of the story and today, she sat on the witness stand and she was cross—examined by team donald trump trying to paint her as someone who was out for money and out to profit off of the donald trump name but we will see how the jury reacts to this. we also saw donald trump reading a statement from a piece of paper outside the court, different from his usual off—the—cuff remarks, anything to note there? yes, it�*s different and it probably has to do with the fact that he has gotten a number of penalties for violating a gag orderfrom thejudge. he would criticise thejudge, criticise the prosecution, make comments

about the jury online before the court and i think this is definitely a way to rein trump in. we have a saying here in the us, covering donald trump comments teleprompter trump and when he is glued to a paper, glue to a screen like that, he is able to stay on message and stay on point. we know that the judge threatened him with jail time potentially for violating the gag order again if he did so this probably from the legal team to rein him in. is there a way to know how this is having an impact on his re—election campaign? americans have paid attention to this trial and that it is historic and you�*ve never seen a former president be on trial in a criminal matter, and this is major. i don�*t think americans are paying attention to the day—to—day part of it

and the majority of americans are living in a very fast—paced new cycle and quite frankly, they�*re looking at this trial and essentially inside baseball between washington and new york, in terms of the election, it�*s really not on the radar of many voters in terms of their voter priorities the majority of voters say the economy and inflation, southern border, health care, crime, abortion and those issues in the united states, that is a priority for these voters and the stuff with donald trump is a sideshow to them. the city of neom — a futuristic development planned for the saudi desert. it�*ll cost 500 billion us dollars and is being built by dozens of western companies. but the uk foreign secretary, lord cameron, says he�*ll be looking into allegations the saudi government is using lethal force to clear ground to build the new city. it comes after bbc verify and a bbc eye investigation,

found the authorities encouraged the use of violence, to evict villagers. here�*s merlyn thomas. promo video: this is neom. neom — saudi arabia�*s grand plan to transform the country and its image. a project almost the size of belgium, built by companies from all over the world, including more than a dozen from the uk. at its heart — the line. a city carved from the desert, envisaged to be 100 mile straight line, but only 1.5 miles will reportedly be built by 2030. neom�*s driving force is the country�*s leader, mohammed bin salman. so since we have empty place and we want to have a place for 10 million people, then let�*s think from scratch. but it wasn�*t empty. near the line, thousands of people lived in these three villages. for years, they objected to being moved, but still the project went on.

these satellite images show one of the villages where they lived. homes, schools, hospitals, have been wiped off the map. this former saudi intelligence officer has been living in fear since he went into exile in the uk last year. he told us he was ordered to clear one of the villages near neom in 2020 and that security forces were permitted to kill those who refused eviction. translation: the order said whoever continues l to resist should be killed, so it licensed the use of lethal force against whoever stayed in their home. he says he dodged the mission, which went ahead without him. this is the aftermath — walls littered with bullet holes. this man, abdul rahim al—huwaiti, refused to leave his home. saudi forces shot him dead. the saudi government says

he was an armed terrorist who opened fire on security forces, but the un and human rights groups say he was killed for refusing eviction. neom�*s grand plan also includes trojena, a ski resort built in the desert. andy wirth became ceo shortly after the shooting. he repeatedly asked about the killing of abdul rahim al—huwaiti. he resigned after less than a year. it was clearly unnecessary. it was clearly murder. you don�*t accelerate human progress at the detriment of other humans. you don�*t step on their throats with your boot heels so you can advance. that�*s not human progress. the saudi government and neom both declined to comment, but critics say the project has cost some saudis their freedom and their lives. merlyn thomas, bbc news. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

you�*re live with bbc news. president putin has marked russia�*s annual victory day celebration, commemorating the defeat of nazi germany, with a warning that he won�*t tolerate threats from the west. in a speech in red square, he acknowledged his country was going through a difficult period, because of the war in ukraine. fewer soldiers took part in the parade than usual, and only one tank. from red square, here�*s steve rosenberg. 0n red square... ..they were celebrating victory. it was the annual parade to mark the defeat of nazi germany and to remember the 27 million soviet citizens killed in world war two. among the troops here, soldiers who�*ve been fighting in a very different war — russia�*s war in ukraine.

and from the kremlin leader, who�*d ordered the invasion, a warning to ukraine�*s western backers — "don�*t push russia." translation: russia will do everything to avoid _ a global confrontation, but at the same time, we will not allow anyone to threaten us. our strategic forces are always on combat alert. minutes later, out came the intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of delivering multiple nuclear warheads. a less than subtle hint that russia has no intention of being defeated. victory day isn�*t just about the past. it�*s very much about russia now, because if this country today has anything approaching a national idea, that idea is victory. russians are constantly being told that russia was, is and always will be unbeatable. mournful music plays

and yet russia is paying a heavy price for its war in ukraine and it�*s becoming difficult to hide. in a town near moscow, we saw the funeral of a soldier who�*d taken part in the operation. same day, different town. more soldiers killed in ukraine. russia�*s military hasn�*t made public the official death toll there, but already in 2022, the kremlin was admitting to significant losses. and so, in many russian towns, new war memorials are being put up. valeria�*s husband was killed fighting in ukraine. the russian state calls him a hero, and she�*s willing to accept that. "he�*s a hero with a capital h," she says. as for the president,

he�*s predicting victory for russia, even though his invasion of ukraine didn�*t go at all to plan. vladimir putin isn�*t only waging war against russia�*s neighbor. he�*s taking on the west. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. how many of you can still recall any significant achievements you made when you were just five years old? i�*m not sure i had much to shout about but that�*s not the case for 5—year—old abyan. last week, he became the youngest singaporean to reach mount everest base camp — which sits at an altitude of more than 5 kilometres above sea level. but of course, he didn�*t do it alone. he did it with his father, and the pair took 8 days to reach base camp. for more on their adventure, we have joining us in studio this morning — abyan and his father zikri. thank you for coming in. we discussed earlier who was going to answer the first question.

you said you wanted your dad to enter first. you said you wanted your dad to enterfirst. what you said you wanted your dad to enter first. what made you decide to make a trip like this? , , ., this? firstly i am confident in his ability _ this? firstly i am confident in his ability to _ this? firstly i am confident in his ability to complete - this? firstly i am confident in his ability to complete the i his ability to complete the trek and, of course, i thought it would be an adventure, something that would be very memorable, we can have a memory of a lifetime is something he can tell his kids in the future. of course i also believe this is a good learning experience, something he cannot learn in a classroom and also a life lesson, perseverance and how nothing is impossible to achieve as long as he puts his mind and heart in it. of course they also believe that this can be done safely, not putting him at risk. ,., .

at risk. important consideration. - at risk. important consideration. i. at risk. important l consideration. iwill at risk. important - consideration. i will ask you what his mother thinks in a moment. we have been watching you on the screen walking through some high mountains. what was your favourite part of the adventure?— what was your favourite part of the adventure? stepping on the ice. what did — the adventure? stepping on the ice. what did you _ the adventure? stepping on the ice. what did you like _ the adventure? stepping on the ice. what did you like about - ice. what did you like about it? he seems _ ice. what did you like about it? he seems incredibly... i ice. what did you like about i it? he seems incredibly... the icebreaking! _ it? he seems incredibly... the icebreaking! did _ it? he seems incredibly... the icebreaking! did you _ it? he seems incredibly... the icebreaking! did you see - it? he seems incredibly... the icebreaking! did you see muchj icebreaking! did you see much of it u- icebreaking! did you see much of it up there? _ icebreaking! did you see much of it up there? not _ icebreaking! did you see much of it up there? not so - icebreaking! did you see much of it up there? not so much? l of it up there? not so much? yes. , ., ., , ., ., yes. the preparations for a tri- yes. the preparations for a tri like yes. the preparations for a trip like this, _ yes. the preparations for a trip like this, for _ yes. the preparations for a trip like this, for fully - yes. the preparations for a | trip like this, for fully grown adults can be tough. what did you do with your son to get ready for the adventure? irate you do with your son to get ready for the adventure? we did lots of practice _

ready for the adventure? we did lots of practice hikes, _ lots of practice hikes, multiple rounds up and down in one day and we did multiple times a week, to get us physically ready for this hike. i could see a picture, is at his mother there? what did she make of the adventure? she wanted to — make of the adventure? she wanted to go _ make of the adventure? she wanted to go with _ make of the adventure? she wanted to go with us - make of the adventure? ma: wanted to go with us but make of the adventure? sia: wanted to go with us but we decided that because we have other kids, she decided to stay with them in singapore and we decided to make it as a father—son adventure. for father-son adventure. for context. _ father-son adventure. for context, mount _ father-son adventure. for context, mount fuji - father—son adventure. for context, mount fuji injapan is 3.8 kilometres. this is over five kilometres high, mount everest. what was your biggest take away from the trip and the opportunity to share it with him? . . opportunity to share it with him? , , ., ~ opportunity to share it with him? , , .,~' ., him? the biggest take away, i would see _ him? the biggest take away, i would see that _ him? the biggest take away, i would see that the _ would see that the perseverance. he learnt that he

can achieve something as long as he puts his mind and heart to it and put in the hard work. what is next? we to it and put in the hard work. what is next?— to it and put in the hard work. what is next? we don't have any lan what is next? we don't have any plan next- _ what is next? we don't have any plan next- as — what is next? we don't have any plan next- as a _ what is next? we don't have any plan next. as a parent _ what is next? we don't have any plan next. as a parent i - what is next? we don't have any plan next. as a parent i have - plan next. as a parent i have to take the cue from him and see what his interests are and talents, and try to achieve that as best i can. [30 talents, and try to achieve that as best i can.- talents, and try to achieve that as best i can. do you want to no on that as best i can. do you want to go on another— that as best i can. do you want to go on another adventure - that as best i can. do you wantl to go on another adventure with your dad? to go on another adventure with our dad? ., to go on another adventure with your dad? ida! 0ne to go on another adventure with your dad? ida! one and done. your dad? no! one and done. thank you _ your dad? no! one and done. thank you so _ your dad? no! one and done. thank you so much for coming and is speaking to us. we appreciate the honesty. let�*s take a look at some other stories in the headlines. a general strike against austerity measures in argentina has brought most of the country to a halt. in the capital, buenos aires, schools, banks and most shops remained closed. train and metro services were suspended and only a few buses have been running. the port in the city of rosario, where most of argentina�*s grain exports are produced, was also closed by the unions.

ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky has fired the head of the department responsible for his personal protection. it comes after two of its officers were detained this week over an alleged assassination plot. the announcement did not state a reason for his dismissal or name a replacement. us and philippines forces, backed by an australian air force surveillance aicraft, sank a decommissioned china—made navy ship on wednesday — according to officials. it was part of their large scale war drills in and near the disputed south china sea that have antagonised beijing. the exercises are being held 400 kilometres south of taiwan as confrontation intensifies between filipino and chinese vessels. shortly on business today, we�*ll have a look at boeing, xi jinping�*s visit to europe and the business deal he has signed on his first trip to the continent in five years, and also an apple advert that

sparked controversies online. look forward to telling you about that in a few moments. thank you for your company on a bbc news. hello there. 0ur settled week of weather is set to continue. in fact, thursday, it was warmest day of the year so far. we reached a high of 24.6 celsius in st james�*s park, london. when you round that up to 25, that is 77 fahrenheit. we could see similar values over the next couple of days with high pressure staying with us, but this weak weather front will continue to bring some showery outbreaks of rain and a cooler feel across the northern isles. it�*ll be a relatively mild start to our friday morning. double digits, some early morning mist and fog quickly melting away, a lot of sunshine coming through. we�*ll get a little bit of fair weather cloud developing into the afternoon, but on the whole, a promising day. more sunshine as well for scotland in comparison to thursday. top temperatures here of 20 to 22 degrees. we could see 2a further south.

into the start of the weekend, we continue with this warm, sunny theme. however, the risk of some sharp showers will start to increase. now, as we go through the early hours of saturday morning, we could see some fog coming in off the north sea, anywhere from the vale of york down into lincolnshire, over into the southeast. again, double figures to greet us first thing on saturday morning. so, could be a pretty murky start across eastern england, but we�*ll expect that sunshine to get to work — it�*s quite strong at this time of year. a lot of sunshine coming through. risk of a few scattered showers anywhere north of manchester, up to the scottish borders, but top temperatures generally at around 23 or 2a celsius once again. now, as we move into sunday, we�*ve got this weather front which will enhance the risk of some sharp, thundery downpours and some showers moving up from the near continent. now, if we get some sunshine across east anglia and south east england, we could see temperatures as high as 26 degrees.

a lot of uncertainty about the detail for sunday, but at the moment, there�*s a greater chance of seeing some sharp thundery, downpours developing. and so out to the west, not quite as warm. then into monday, an atlantic influence is set to return, low pressure will start to push in from the west as the high drifts away, and that means that it will turn wetter and windier. and that is going to stay with us throughout the week, so it looks likely to see showers or longer spells of rain returning.

elevating bilateral ties. we�*ll look at the highlights of chinese president xi�*s trip to europe. plus, why this advertisement by apple promoting its latest ipad pro is drawing criticism from users and celebrities. hello and welcome to business today. i�*m steve lai. chinese president xijinping is currently in hungary, where he will wrap up his european tour after stops in france and serbia. mr xi has been on a mission to boost trade and diplomatic relations with the region. on thursday, he met hungarian prime minister viktor 0rban and said the two countries

had upgraded their ties to an "all weather" partnership. kishore mahbubani was singapore�*s former ambassador to the united nations. he gave me a sense of what lies ahead for eu—china relations. trade differences are normal. the important thing is notjust the trade in balance but the trade volume. at the end of the day, as you know, europe is looking for new sources of growth for itself and europe is acutely aware that china is going to become a very, very important market for eu products too, and let me give you some very important statistics so listeners understand how things have changed. in the year 2000 the european economy combined, eu economy combined was six times bigger than china�*s economy. now they are the same size. in five years�* time china will

be bigger than the european union. europe is aware of this.