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[00:00:10] Live from London. This is BBC
[00:00:12] News. The Houthis in Yemen warn against
[00:00:14] against the use of airports in Saudi Saudi Arabia after 12 people are
[00:00:18] are killed in a deadly attack at at Riyadh's international airport.
[00:00:22] airport. After President Trump accused accused him of prolonging the war,
[00:00:25] war, President Zelensky says Ukraine Ukraine will stop striking Russian Russian oil refineries if Russia
[00:00:29] Russia stops hitting Ukrainian energy
[00:00:32] energy infrastructure. Pope Leo is is to have an operation in the coming
[00:00:35] coming days for what the Vatican
[00:00:36] Vatican says is a nodule on his lungs.
[00:00:39] lungs. Flash floods in central Nepal Nepal sweep away bridges and homes
[00:00:43] homes as five people are reported reported missing. A second day of
[00:00:47] of protests in Delhi. As the leader leader of India's Cockroach Janta
[00:00:50] Janta Party says they will neither
[00:00:51] neither back down nor be intimidated.
[00:00:55] intimidated. And eight orangutans orangutans rescued from wildfires
[00:00:57] wildfires in Borneo are released
[00:00:59] released into protected forest. Hello
[00:01:10] Hello and a very warm welcome to to BBC News. I'm Mark Logan. We're
[00:01:13] We're starting this hour with a major major escalation in the Middle East
[00:01:16] East conflict because Yemen's Iran Iran backed Houthi group has warned
[00:01:20] warned airlines and passengers not not to use airports in Saudi Arabia
[00:01:23] Arabia after the deadliest attack attack on Saudi Saudi soil in more
[00:01:26] more than a decade. Saudi Arabia Arabia says the Houthi missile attack
[00:01:29] attack at Riyadh's airport has killed killed 12 people and injured more
[00:01:33] more than 300. We've received these these pictures from inside the airport
[00:01:36] airport terminal. Reports say there there was a missile strike on one
[00:01:39] one of the airport gates. The Saudi Saudi authorities are calling it
[00:01:41] it a war crime and are promised a a forceful response. The airport
[00:01:45] airport has been closed and hundreds hundreds of flights cancelled or
[00:01:48] or diverted for the second time in in less than a month. Schools in
[00:01:51] in Riyadh have switched to remote remote learning for the week. A number
[00:01:55] number of Western diplomatic missions, missions, including the UK and US,
[00:01:58] US, have warned their nationals to to stay away from the airport. The
[00:02:02] The strike has been condemned by by the United Nations Secretary General
[00:02:05] General and by President Trump, who who has indicated the US may join
[00:02:09] join the Saudi campaign against the
[00:02:11] the Iran-backed Houthis. Well, you're you're going to find out, Steve,
[00:02:15] Steve, but I think it's terrible. terrible. Well, they're able to defend defend look, the Saudis are good
[00:02:19] good fighters. But I think the attack attack was a terrible thing. What
[00:02:22] What happened in Saudi Arabia is
[00:02:24] is not acceptable. Thank you. Our Our correspondent in the Middle East,
[00:02:28] East, John Jon Donnison, has this
[00:02:29] this latest. It's another dangerous
[00:02:32] dangerous moment in a region that that is already fraught with tension
[00:02:36] tension and conflict. So we've seen seen those pictures from the airport.
[00:02:39] airport. Clearly a lot of damage damage inside the terminal. Large
[00:02:42] Large plumes of black smoke rising
[00:02:45] rising above the building and reports
[00:02:47] reports that the hospitals in the the capital are overwhelmed or have
[00:02:51] have been overwhelmed just by the the sheer number of people injured.
[00:02:55] injured. More than 300. Now, the the conflict in Yemen has been going
[00:02:59] going on for more than a decade. decade. The civil war, and that is
[00:03:03] is between the Saudi backed, internationally internationally recognised government
[00:03:06] government and the Houthis, who are are supported by Iran. There have
[00:03:10] have been thousands of lives lost.
[00:03:12] lost. There has been a humanitarian humanitarian crisis in Yemen. But
[00:03:15] But in recent weeks the Houthis have
[00:03:18] have stepped up their attacks directly directly on Saudi Arabian soil. And
[00:03:22] And that, I think, is all tied into into the broader conflict that the
[00:03:26] the United States and Israel have
[00:03:28] have with Iran. You mentioned that
[00:03:31] that conflict with Iran at the source source of all of this. In a sense,
[00:03:34] sense, John, President Trump has has already said that he will resume
[00:03:38] resume bombing Iran after the mid-term mid-term elections, an indication
[00:03:41] indication of just the impact that that the Iran war is having on the
[00:03:44] the cost of diesel, of course. And And how much of an issue that is
[00:03:47] is in the mid-terms. But now, of
[00:03:49] of course, if the US is mulling getting
[00:03:53] getting involved in bombing the Houthis,
[00:03:56] Houthis, that could escalate that that issue again, given the Houthi
[00:03:59] Houthi control of Bab al-Mandab,
[00:04:01] al-Mandab, that other important oil
[00:04:04] oil strait. Exactly. And that the
[00:04:07] the Houthis are being used really really by the Iranians as another
[00:04:10] another arrow in their quiver to to try and exert economic pressure
[00:04:14] pressure on the United States to
[00:04:16] to try and get a better deal for
[00:04:19] for the Iranians in to try and end
[00:04:21] end that conflict with the United
[00:04:23] United States. But, you know, American
[00:04:27] American President Trump says he he may intervene in Yemen. I mean,
[00:04:30] mean, I think that is pretty unlikely, unlikely, certainly before those those mid-term elections. You have
[00:04:34] have to remember that he was re-elected
[00:04:36] re-elected promising to end America's America's involvement in conflicts
[00:04:39] conflicts around the world. Well, Well, America, under his presidency
[00:04:42] presidency this second term has been been directly and indirectly involved
[00:04:46] involved in three in this region region alone. So in Gaza, in Lebanon
[00:04:50] Lebanon and in Iran. I think it's it's unlikely that would go down
[00:04:54] down very well with US voters if
[00:04:57] if suddenly in the next few weeks, weeks, America was going to get directly
[00:05:00] directly involved in Yemen to. Jon Jon Donnison there, the British Defence
[00:05:04] Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting, Streeting, was asked for his reaction reaction to the attack and if the
[00:05:08] the UK would provide more support support to the Saudis. Well. We're
[00:05:12] We're already supporting Saudi Arabia,
[00:05:14] Arabia, we're supporting Saudi with with air to air refuelling support
[00:05:18] support that enables them to fly fly potentially. I've spoken to my
[00:05:22] my Saudi counterpart KBS, on a number number of occasions in recent weeks
[00:05:25] weeks to look at what more we can can do to support Saudi Arabia. And
[00:05:29] And I'm afraid last night explains
[00:05:33] explains precisely why we are providing providing that support. I mean, even
[00:05:36] even in the context of Houthi attacks attacks and an escalation, what we
[00:05:40] we saw in terms of the attack on on the airport in Riyadh was a shocking
[00:05:44] shocking escalation. Actually, hundreds hundreds of casualties and an attack
[00:05:48] attack on a civilian target that
[00:05:49] that can't be can't possibly be justified justified in any circumstances. Are
[00:05:53] Are you saying. You could get involved involved in an offensive? The UK
[00:05:56] UK could get involved in offensive offensive operations? Well, that's that's not what we're looking at
[00:06:00] at at this stage and we've always always been clear that there isn't
[00:06:04] isn't a military solution to this this conflict. As Royal Lodge was
[00:06:07] was just setting out there. There
[00:06:10] There was a truce. We need to see see a diplomatic solution and Saudi
[00:06:13] Saudi needs to do that from a position position of strength. And so the
[00:06:16] the support we've been providing providing the air to air refuelling
[00:06:19] refuelling support, the ground based based air defences, those things
[00:06:22] things are having a positive impact. impact. But I think there is clearly
[00:06:25] clearly more to do, as evidenced evidenced by what we saw last night,
[00:06:28] night, which I think should be condemned condemned worldwide. British Defence
[00:06:31] Defence Secretary Wes Streeting Let's Let's bring in Hesham Shawish from
[00:06:34] from BBC Monitoring our media monitoring monitoring unit. Hi, Hisham. Just
[00:06:38] Just give us some of the lines that that you are picking up from the
[00:06:42] the Saudi media on this story. Sure.
[00:06:45] Sure. So the Saudi media response response has been quite strong. They've
[00:06:47] They've been providing wall to wall wall coverage over the latest attacks,
[00:06:51] attacks, and they've been speaking speaking to commentators, observers,
[00:06:54] observers, military experts. Since Since yesterday's attacks, we have
[00:06:57] have been seeing a strong lead with
[00:07:01] with the Saudi coalition statement
[00:07:04] statement condemning the attacks
[00:07:06] attacks on both Riyadh International
[00:07:09] International Airport and the airport airport in Dammam. That's a large
[00:07:12] large city on the eastern coast. coast. Projectile also fell there.
[00:07:15] there. And the Saudi led coalition coalition described the attack on
[00:07:19] on Riyadh as a full-fledged war crime crime and a terrorist attack, and
[00:07:22] and said that they would respond respond firmly and decisively in
[00:07:26] in the coming days. So those are are the lines that the Saudi media
[00:07:29] media have been leading with over over the past 24 hours. And the fact,
[00:07:33] fact, Hisham, that the Houthis have have warned people to stay away from
[00:07:37] from airports suggests that they're
[00:07:39] they're not finished. Exactly. So
[00:07:41] So this morning we saw this fresh fresh warning by the Houthis for
[00:07:44] for airlines to avoid Saudi airports airports and airspace. With the exception
[00:07:47] exception of Mecca and Medina, the the two holy cities near the West
[00:07:51] West Coast. So for now, Jeddah International International Airport is safe for
[00:07:55] for flights coming and going. And
[00:07:57] And it shows. The latest warning
[00:08:00] warning shows that Houthi signalling
[00:08:03] signalling towards Saudi, Saudi civil
[00:08:07] civil civilian aviation is part of of the pressure campaign against against the Saudis to try and end
[00:08:10] end their blockade on Houthi controlled
[00:08:13] controlled areas in Yemen. And this this type of warning by the Houthis
[00:08:16] Houthis is really intended to amplify
[00:08:19] amplify the psychological and economic
[00:08:22] economic impact will we've already
[00:08:23] already seen hundreds of airlines airlines cancel their flights or
[00:08:27] or delay their flights. So it does does have a major impact. And it
[00:08:31] it will also make travel travellers,
[00:08:34] travellers, insurers, airlines more more wary of travel to the airline.
[00:08:38] airline. So it's intended to cause cause a lot of damage beyond physical
[00:08:41] physical damage. Let's talk just
[00:08:43] just for a moment about the Mecca
[00:08:46] Mecca pact, which is an agreement agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey
[00:08:50] Turkey and Pakistan, a sort of mutual mutual defence pact that has been
[00:08:53] been struck recently. And Islamabad
[00:08:57] Islamabad and Ankara deciding to
[00:08:59] to deploy troops here. So just explain
[00:09:02] explain how that is playing into
[00:09:03] into the story. Sure. So the latest
[00:09:07] latest attack on airports is a major major one. It's a major escalation
[00:09:10] escalation and it will really test
[00:09:12] test the sincerity of the Mecca pact.
[00:09:15] pact. The response Saudi response response will be waiting to see whether whether it's a short lived escalation
[00:09:19] escalation or whether it will be be a sustained campaign. We'll also
[00:09:22] also be watching to see how the Saudis Saudis respond, whether they'll be
[00:09:25] be going it alone in terms of military
[00:09:28] military targeting of Houthi run run areas in, in Yemen, which we've
[00:09:31] we've seen since last night, those those strikes have been taking place,
[00:09:33] place, or whether we'll see a mobilisation,
[00:09:36] mobilisation, a diplomatic mobilisation
[00:09:39] mobilisation in, in the kingdom or or whether we'll see more international
[00:09:43] international travel by Saudi officials
[00:09:46] officials to Pakistan, Turkey, the the neighbours like Egypt as well,
[00:09:48] well, who could have a say. It will
[00:09:51] will likely will likely see more
[00:09:54] more an increase in diplomatic lobbying
[00:09:57] lobbying for countries to either either condemn the Houthi escalation
[00:10:01] escalation against Saudi airports airports or for an intervention by
[00:10:05] by both Pakistan and Turkey. The The two signatories of the Mecca
[00:10:09] Mecca pact alongside Saudi Arabia. Arabia. Hesham Shawish from BBC Monitoring.
[00:10:12] Monitoring. Thanks very much. Thank
[00:10:14] Thank you. Now, President Zelensky Zelensky says Ukraine will stop striking
[00:10:18] striking Russian oil refineries if
[00:10:20] if Moscow stops striking Ukrainian Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
[00:10:23] infrastructure. His comments came came after President Trump accused
[00:10:26] accused him of prolonging the war, war, and said it was time for Ukraine
[00:10:29] Ukraine to elect a new leader. In In a post on social media, President
[00:10:33] President Zelensky wrote the real real cause of the war in Europe is is Russia and Russia alone. It's
[00:10:37] It's possible to stop strikes on on energy infrastructure as early
[00:10:40] early as today, but Putin does not not want to do so. He goes on Ukraine
[00:10:44] Ukraine will be ready to stop striking striking Russian oil refineries if
[00:10:47] if Russia stops striking our energy energy infrastructure. Any de-escalation
[00:10:51] de-escalation steps must be reciprocal reciprocal and backed by real guarantees.
[00:10:55] guarantees. Well, the British Defence Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting, Streeting, has been speaking on that
[00:10:58] that as well and says that the UK
[00:11:00] UK still stands with President Zelensky.
[00:11:03] Zelensky. Speaking to reporters yesterday, yesterday, President Trump accused
[00:11:06] accused Mr Zelensky of disrupting disrupting global fuel supplies and
[00:11:09] and choosing not to end the war with
[00:11:11] with Russia. You know what I suggest?
[00:11:14] suggest? I suggest they get a new
[00:11:17] new leader who can make a deal because because he could have made many deals.
[00:11:20] deals. But for some reason he never never does. And let me go a step
[00:11:23] step further. If I were president, president, you wouldn't have ever
[00:11:26] ever had that war. That war would would have never started. There was
[00:11:29] was no reason that that war with with Ukraine and Russia started.
[00:11:33] started. It started due to incompetence. incompetence. It should have never
[00:11:37] never started. You wouldn't have
[00:11:38] have lost 30% of your country already.
[00:11:41] already. You've lost 30% of your
[00:11:43] your country and you've had over over a million people killed between
[00:11:47] between the two of them. Over 2 million million people killed. That's a war
[00:11:50] war that should have never started. started. And I think it's time for
[00:11:53] for Ukraine to get a new president. president. President Trump choosing
[00:11:56] choosing to blame the country that that was invaded, not the invader.
[00:11:59] invader. Well, our correspondent correspondent Joe Inwood told us us how difficult the situation is
[00:12:03] is for Ukraine. Now that we are hearing hearing reports that the Americans
[00:12:06] Americans may cut off military intelligence
[00:12:08] intelligence if it continues to strike
[00:12:10] strike Russian refineries. What makes makes it really serious? We do know
[00:12:14] know that the Americans they're not not providing the material support
[00:12:16] support they once were in terms of of hardware, in terms of resources,
[00:12:19] resources, but they are still providing providing intelligence support. And
[00:12:23] And if that were to be cut off, I I think that would be considered considered to be very, very serious
[00:12:26] serious indeed. Of course, the Ukrainians
[00:12:28] Ukrainians are still reliant as well well on American manufactured weapons
[00:12:32] weapons purchased and paid for by
[00:12:34] by the Europeans. But, you know, know, American patriots and that
[00:12:38] that sort of thing. And if that were
[00:12:40] were to be if he were President Trump Trump were out of, you know, a fit
[00:12:43] fit of pique to say you're not we're we're not going to sell you weapons weapons any more. I mean, there's
[00:12:47] there's no suggestion of that at at this point, but that's the sort sort of thing that would be very,
[00:12:51] very, very serious indeed. So I think think the Ukrainians are going to
[00:12:54] to be viewing this as something they they want to try and dial down the
[00:12:58] the anger on because I think yesterday yesterday it was interesting listening listening to President Zelensky's
[00:13:02] Zelensky's statement. His reaction reaction to the news that Donald
[00:13:05] Donald Trump was going to be buying
[00:13:07] buying Russian diesel. He sounded sounded absolutely furious. I mean,
[00:13:11] mean, you can never know what's going going on inside someone's head. But But I listened to that interview
[00:13:14] interview and he sounded sounded sounded like a cold rage there. And
[00:13:16] And you wonder if he might have reacted reacted in that rage and now will
[00:13:20] will be trying to dial it back slightly slightly because the relations with
[00:13:24] with President Trump have they have have been improving and they've gone
[00:13:26] gone back many steps, I think. Yeah. Yeah. And of course, we always know
[00:13:29] know what happens when a world leader
[00:13:31] leader rises to the bait and counterattacks. counterattacks. Donald Trump, a man
[00:13:35] man not known for his thick skin.
[00:13:38] skin. What about whether this will
[00:13:40] will now spur others to leap ever ever further to Ukraine's defence?
[00:13:43] defence? We've already had that call call from Downing Street and Andy
[00:13:47] Andy Burnham promising to meet Zelensky Zelensky in the coming days. I mean,
[00:13:50] mean, there's going to be a kind kind of a greater rallying around around Ukraine by the other allies,
[00:13:54] allies, given the fact that the US US is no longer a sort of trusted
[00:13:57] trusted one, I suppose. Yeah, I think think if I think it goes without
[00:14:00] without doubt, there's no no doubt doubt that we will see the Europeans Europeans rally around. But there's
[00:14:04] there's two things here aren't they? they? There's the metaphorical support
[00:14:08] support or the arm round the shoulder shoulder that they can give him.
[00:14:10] him. I mean, in the case of the famous famous White House bust-up, there
[00:14:14] there was a literal arm round the the shoulder for President Zelensky Zelensky from then Prime Minister
[00:14:17] Minister Sir Keir Starmer. But there there are there's a difference between
[00:14:21] between rallying round, showing support support and actually offering the
[00:14:24] the kind of material back up that that Ukraine really needs. They are
[00:14:28] are doing both of those things, but but there's a limit to the latter.
[00:14:31] latter. The former is basically an an unlimited supply. They will stand stand shoulder to shoulder, as they
[00:14:35] they always say. I think that's very very different from, for example,
[00:14:38] example, replacing the intelligence intelligence support that the Americans Americans give them. The Europeans Europeans are going to find that
[00:14:42] that much harder. Joe Inwood Poland's
[00:14:46] Poland's Interior Ministry is holding holding an emergency meeting after
[00:14:49] after what it said were possible possible assassination attempts against
[00:14:52] against the country's Prime Minister Minister and the Defence Minister, Minister, a spokesperson said police
[00:14:56] police had received credible information information about possible attacks
[00:14:59] attacks against Donald Tusk and Wadsworth
[00:15:01] Wadsworth Kociniak. Cashmere ministers ministers will be meeting secret
[00:15:05] secret services later today. The The announcement comes as authorities authorities in Poland have been on
[00:15:08] on high alert following a wave of of violence in schools that resulted
[00:15:12] resulted in the death of school caretaker
[00:15:16] caretaker on Thursday. Pope Leo has has announced that he is to undergo
[00:15:20] undergo surgery after his doctors doctors detected what he called a a very early stage, a very early
[00:15:24] early stage nodule in his lung. Leo,
[00:15:27] Leo, who is 71 years old, said it it was found during a routine check-up
[00:15:31] check-up and appeared to be well well contained. He thanked people people for their prayers, recovery
[00:15:34] recovery from surgery is expected
[00:15:36] expected to take around a week. To
[00:15:40] To India now, where the leader of of the Cockroach protest movement
[00:15:43] movement has been released from detention detention as the city sees a second
[00:15:46] second day of protests, the Cockroach Cockroach Janta Party said its founder,
[00:15:49] founder, Abhijeet Dipke, was detained detained with other leaders shortly
[00:15:52] shortly after landing in Delhi to to lead protests seeking electoral
[00:15:56] electoral reform just months before before crucial state elections. He
[00:15:59] He began the movement in May after after India's chief justice likened
[00:16:03] likened some jobless young people people to cockroaches in his first
[00:16:06] first comments after his release, release, Dipke said the Cjp will
[00:16:09] will neither back down nor be intimidated.
[00:16:12] intimidated. Narendra Modi is the the biggest coward this country has
[00:16:15] has ever seen. Well, protesters have
[00:16:19] have returned to central Delhi for for a second day. Much of the area
[00:16:22] area has roads, barricaded offices, offices, shops and restaurants shut
[00:16:25] shut and internet services are curtailed. curtailed. For now, demonstrators
[00:16:29] demonstrators are vastly outnumbered outnumbered by security personnel
[00:16:31] personnel and the BBC has witnessed witnessed many detentions. The Cjp
[00:16:35] Cjp and other opposition parties parties are calling for the election election commissioner to be sacked
[00:16:39] sacked over revisions to the electoral electoral roll, an accusation denied
[00:16:43] denied by the authorities. The Gen
[00:16:45] Gen Z. The youth has been stopped
[00:16:47] stopped from being a voter since
[00:16:50] since 2024 and this is being done
[00:16:52] done because the government is scared
[00:16:55] scared that these young generation generation people who are awakened,
[00:16:58] awakened, who are asking questions, questions, who are asking for accountability
[00:17:01] accountability will come after them them and will seek answers from them.
[00:17:04] them. The government does not like
[00:17:06] like it and therefore it is resorting
[00:17:09] resorting to violence against the
[00:17:10] the citizens of this country. Our Our correspondent in Delhi, Arunoday
[00:17:14] Arunoday Mukharji, has the latest latest from the protests. This is
[00:17:17] is the first time we're hearing the
[00:17:21] the senior members of the Cockroach Cockroach Janta Party movement essentially
[00:17:24] essentially talking about their experiences
[00:17:26] experiences over the last 24 to 48 48 hours, highlighting what happened happened to them when the police
[00:17:30] police detained them and criticising criticising the Delhi Police once
[00:17:33] once again and essentially very, very, very combative in their messaging
[00:17:37] messaging targeting Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi as well as as the interior minister or the home
[00:17:41] home minister as he's called here, here, Mr Amit Shah, accusing them
[00:17:43] them of shielding the Chief Election Election Commissioner for their own
[00:17:46] own gains. They've also said the the way in which the Delhi Police
[00:17:50] Police has gone about carrying out out these detentions across Delhi
[00:17:53] Delhi to the tune of thousands, they
[00:17:54] they said that demonstrates the fear
[00:17:57] fear that the authorities have regarding
[00:17:59] regarding these protests. They have have not outlined what their next
[00:18:03] next plan of action is. That still still remains a bit of a question
[00:18:07] question at the moment. All we've we've heard in terms of them urging
[00:18:10] urging others to continue their protests, protests, they said that this is
[00:18:13] is just the beginning of the battle. battle. They've urged people from
[00:18:16] from other states to go ahead and and protest in any way that they
[00:18:19] they can to ensure their voices are
[00:18:21] are heard. At the moment over here
[00:18:24] here we still see some security that that is there. It is not as strict
[00:18:28] strict as yesterday. We've seen a
[00:18:30] a little bit of relaxation, not completely, completely, but there has been a
[00:18:34] a little bit of difference compared compared to what it was yesterday.
[00:18:37] yesterday. But there are still barricades barricades and other parts of the
[00:18:40] the city. We've also heard from the the Supreme Court, which has now
[00:18:43] now said and asked the Delhi Police
[00:18:44] Police to review its security measures
[00:18:47] measures in place and only do it it where it is necessary. Arunoday
[00:18:51] Arunoday Mukharji staying in South South Asia. Authorities in Nepal Nepal have called for the evacuation
[00:18:55] evacuation of villages on the banks banks of the Budhi Gandaki River
[00:18:58] River after severe flooding in the the centre of the country, Nepali
[00:19:01] Nepali officials say they've rescued rescued 49 people from areas impacted
[00:19:05] impacted by the flash flood, which which has washed away bridges and
[00:19:08] and damaged a hydropower facility. facility. Five people are missing. missing. It's believed the flash
[00:19:12] flash flood was caused by a landslide. landslide. Upstream, the country
[00:19:15] country remains on high alert after after devastating floods swept thousands
[00:19:18] thousands of people away seven weeks
[00:19:21] weeks ago. Well, our global affairs
[00:19:24] affairs correspondent Anbarasan Ethirajan Ethirajan joins me now. Hi, Anbarasan.
[00:19:26] Anbarasan. Just give us the latest latest on what you're hearing there
[00:19:29] there from Nepal as the picture around around these flooding, flooding flooded
[00:19:32] flooded areas. Officials are now
[00:19:34] now saying that up to 40 houses have
[00:19:37] have been damaged because of this this flooding. And also they were
[00:19:40] were swept away, including one camp camp for a hydropower project. And
[00:19:44] And the pictures were terrifying. terrifying. You know, you have a
[00:19:48] a sludge of mud, rocks and water
[00:19:51] water sweeping away several areas
[00:19:54] areas of this Budhi Gandaki river. river. And many settlements were
[00:19:57] were damaged. And that's why Nepali Nepali government officials are now
[00:20:01] now urging people living downstream
[00:20:03] downstream of the river to evacuate. evacuate. And the Nepali officials
[00:20:06] officials have also deployed about about four helicopters. The army
[00:20:09] army has been deployed and they have have rescued dozens of people, including
[00:20:13] including some trekkers. The most most important thing is the damage
[00:20:16] damage to some of the footbridges footbridges and also road bridges
[00:20:19] bridges because Nepal being a mountainous mountainous country, these bridges
[00:20:22] bridges play a crucial role in between between connecting various districts.
[00:20:25] districts. For example, this happened happened in Gorkha district. There
[00:20:28] There was one bridge that was completely completely destroyed snapping contact
[00:20:32] contact with the neighbouring district. district. So it makes it difficult
[00:20:34] difficult for the authorities to to move aid. And the weather is also
[00:20:38] also not favourable. So this comes comes after, you know, in August
[00:20:41] August you saw the massive floods
[00:20:44] floods in both the Koshi River that
[00:20:46] that caused devastation. So still still they are looking for at least
[00:20:50] least five people unaccounted for
[00:20:52] for and also some shepherds are also also missing and they are hoping
[00:20:56] hoping to make contact with them them later in the day. You mentioned mentioned those terrible floodings
[00:20:59] floodings floods, of course, on the the border with Tibet from seven
[00:21:02] seven weeks ago are the roads and
[00:21:05] and paths still blocked and damaged damaged from those floods and making
[00:21:08] making it harder even to control control these new ones? Nepal is
[00:21:12] is already struggling to come back back from the devastating floods
[00:21:16] floods in late August, and many districts districts were impacted. In fact,
[00:21:19] fact, they have been building this this Bailey bridge connecting various
[00:21:23] various step by step. Several hydropower hydropower projects were completely
[00:21:26] completely wiped out and still there there are thousands of people living
[00:21:29] living in shelters or with relatives relatives and friends. They can't
[00:21:32] can't go back to their homes because because many of the villages were
[00:21:35] were wiped out. And that's why Nepal Nepal says that the reconstruction
[00:21:38] reconstruction costing cost would
[00:21:39] would be amounting to nearly $5 billion
[00:21:43] billion and still 5000 people are
[00:21:44] are unaccounted for. About 1500 people
[00:21:48] people confirmed dead and several several relatives are still coming coming and searching on the banks
[00:21:52] banks of the river and the settlements. settlements. So this has come as
[00:21:56] as another, you know, big shock for for Nepal. Now they have to deploy
[00:21:59] deploy more people and more resources resources to tackle this particular
[00:22:02] particular flooding. And briefly, briefly, are neighbouring countries
[00:22:05] countries also going to be deploying? deploying? Is there a call for international
[00:22:08] international support? Nepal is called called for international help and and that's why the Nepalese Prime
[00:22:11] Prime Minister, who spoke in the the UN General Assembly, called for
[00:22:14] for a billions of dollars of aid. aid. India and China have already
[00:22:17] already stepped in giving aid and
[00:22:19] and on for reconstruction work. Anbarasan
[00:22:22] Anbarasan Ethirajan thanks very much.
[00:22:25] much. Some more developing news this this hour. At least 109 migrants
[00:22:29] migrants have been killed, including including 15 children, after a boat
[00:22:32] boat sank off the shore of Djibouti,
[00:22:35] Djibouti, according to the International International Organisation for Migration Migration Survivors said the vessel,
[00:22:39] vessel, which was carrying 350 people
[00:22:41] people from Djibouti to Yemen, capsized
[00:22:43] capsized north of the Djibouti town town of Obock overnight on October
[00:22:47] October the 8th. Around 116 are still
[00:22:50] still missing. Hurricane Simon is
[00:22:53] is bearing down on Mexico's Pacific Pacific coast, bringing torrential
[00:22:56] torrential rain and sustained winds
[00:22:58] winds of up to 240km an hour. The The category four storm is expected
[00:23:02] expected to make landfall near the the port city of Manzanillo in a
[00:23:05] a few hours' time. Residents on the the coast of Colima and Jalisco have
[00:23:09] have been warned that eight metre metre waves could bring storm surges
[00:23:12] surges and coastal flooding. People People have been boarding up windows
[00:23:15] windows and doors ahead of its arrival. arrival. Simon is the latest in a
[00:23:18] a busy hurricane season in the Pacific, Pacific, where the powerful El Nino
[00:23:21] Nino ocean warming phenomenon is is allowing the storms to gain in
[00:23:25] in strength. Our weather presenter presenter Matt Taylor explains just
[00:23:29] just how powerful this hurricane hurricane is. Hurricane Simon. It's
[00:23:32] It's quite a phenomenal storm. We We measure hurricanes on a scale
[00:23:35] scale of 1 to 5. This is right at at the top end of a four sustained
[00:23:38] sustained winds. That's mean winds
[00:23:40] winds of 250km an hour, 155 miles
[00:23:42] miles an hour gusts much, much quicker quicker than that as well. If I just
[00:23:46] just show you the satellite imagery imagery of where that storm is at at the moment, you can see the well-defined
[00:23:50] well-defined eye there it is getting getting close. It's about 60 miles
[00:23:53] miles offshore at the moment. The The big question mark though forecasters
[00:23:56] forecasters are having, is just the the behaviour of what is going to to happen with this storm. Is it
[00:24:00] it going to come on land or is it it just going to skirt parallel to
[00:24:03] to the coast for a bit longer? Now Now that's crucial because the second
[00:24:06] second it goes on land because it's it's quite mountainous, just inside inside of the coast, it will rip
[00:24:09] rip the storm apart quite quickly. quickly. But if it stays offshore offshore for a little bit longer,
[00:24:13] longer, it means those coastal areas areas will be battered by those catastrophic
[00:24:16] catastrophic winds for a much longer longer period. We're going to be
[00:24:19] be piling in more in the way of storm storm surge towards those coastal
[00:24:22] coastal districts as well. And then then the rainfall is going to be
[00:24:25] be piling in as well across the mountainous
[00:24:27] mountainous region just inland. That's That's Matt Taylor from BBC Weather
[00:24:31] Weather now eight orangutans rescued rescued from the wildfires that recently
[00:24:34] recently swept through parts of Borneo Borneo have been released into a
[00:24:37] a protected forest. The orangutans orangutans three mothers and three
[00:24:41] three mother and baby pairs and two two male teenagers were saved from
[00:24:45] from various locations in West Kalimantan Kalimantan on the Indonesian part
[00:24:49] part of the island. Their new home
[00:24:51] home is the Batu Nambu Reserve, chosen chosen by conservationists because
[00:24:55] because of the availability of food
[00:24:56] food and water sources as well as
[00:24:59] as its connectivity to other forests. forests. Orangutans are critically
[00:25:02] critically endangered, with just just over 100,000 remaining in Borneo
[00:25:06] Borneo and Sumatra. Let me just remind
[00:25:13] remind you of that story that we've we've had in the last hour or so
[00:25:16] so from the Vatican, which is that
[00:25:18] that Pope Leo XIV is going to be be operated in the coming days. After
[00:25:21] After telling the crowds there on on Saint Peter's Square in his Sunday
[00:25:25] Sunday morning Angelus prayer that
[00:25:27] that he has small nodules on his his lung, he said recently, during
[00:25:31] during some medical examinations, examinations, doctors found a localised
[00:25:34] localised nodule in my lung. It was was detected at a very early stage
[00:25:38] stage and is well contained. The The doctors believe it is advisable
[00:25:40] advisable to intervene, so following following their advice, I've decided
[00:25:43] decided to undergo surgery to remove remove it. The operation is already
[00:25:47] already scheduled for the next few few days. The 71-year-old pontiff
[00:25:50] pontiff elected, of course, last last year in Saint Peter's Square.
[00:25:54] Square. After that conclave, to have
[00:25:56] have that operation in the next few
[00:25:59] few days, we will be back with the the headlines in just a moment or
[00:26:02] or two. Don't go away. Stay with with us here on BBC News.
[00:29:56] latest news wherever you are. Business
[00:29:57] Business on BBC News. Make the connection.
[00:30:08] connection. MUSIC
[00:30:14] Nigeria has one of the lowest
[00:30:17] rates of women's political representation representation in the world. So what's
[00:30:21] what's holding women back from the the ballot? Now on BBC News and Katie
[00:30:24] Katie Bonner with Focus on Africa
[00:30:27] Africa The Conversation. Is Nigeria
[00:30:32] Nigeria ready for female leaders?
[00:30:35] leaders? The majority of Nigerians Nigerians have not gotten to that
[00:30:38] that place where we vote on the basis
[00:30:41] basis of character, competence, capacity,
[00:30:43] capacity, credibility. If these women
[00:30:46] women are credible enough. Why can't
[00:30:49] can't they be the front runners? runners? Even more daring now is
[00:30:52] is that we don't even have female
[00:30:56] female deputies any more. Now we we see a lot of man oh man man man man man