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announcer: and now, "bbc world news". laura: i am lan washington and this is bbc world news america. the war in ukraine escalates as the capital kyiv is bombarded by russian missiles. at least 11 people have died in strikes in cities across ukraine. president biden says the attacks demonstrate moscow's brutality. our correspondent was reporting live when one of the missiles struck. reporter: so -- [explosion] laura: the president of taiwan compares china's military intimidation of the island to russia's invasion of ukraine.

reports from iran say oil workers have joined the protest triggered by the death of marcel amini. good news percy life in britain as the u.k. begins recycling fishing nets dumped at sea. welcome to world news america on pbs and around the globe. russia has launched a strikes across ukraine, firing more than 80 missiles targeting the capital kyiv for the first time in months. president biden stroke by phone to ukraine's president zelenskyy , condemning the strikes and promising to provide ukraine with the support it needs. at least 10 ukrainian cities were hit, including leave -- including leave and zaporizhzhia. ukraine says at least 11 people have been killed, 64 injured. it's the most widespread russian

bombardment since the start of the war. paul adams reports from kyiv. paul: after months of quiet in the capital, the war is back. for three chaotic hours this morning, the missiles kept coming. for one young woman already recording her own sense of shock, a narrow escape. my bbc colleague hugo was broadcastingive when it all began. >> they want panic and chaos. they want to destroy our energy system. they are hopeless. the second target is people.

such goals were chosen to do as much damage as possible. were ukrainians. help each other, we believe in ourselves. we restore everything that is destroyed. paul: tourist locations were hit too. the city's famous glass bridge. at times it felt like a city being punished in its favorite, most iconic places. for many it meant a hasty return to bomb shelters not used for months. >> they want to destroy our people, our infrastructure, everything. i am extremely angry. paul: when moscow decided it had done enough, it ended. the cleanup began. there are bodies lying on the street in this elegant european capital. it's been almost four months since the last attack in kyiv. in three hours, a growing sense of normality was shattered. this is the first time missiles haveanded in the center of kyiv, and these were not military targets. the children's playground, part

of the university of kyiv, and this is a government department of science and education. nearby a huge crater in a place where children play. alanna and valeri live around the corner. their children and grandchildren know this place well. >> [translated] it's horrible. this is our life and just now an abyss has opened up. it's terrible. we will be more careful now. when the sirens sound, we will go straight to the shelter. paul: in the city of separation, it was another hellish night, one of many in recent days. another 14 civilians died in one apartment block. 10 missiles fell around the dnipro, e landing right in front of a bus. far to the west, explosions in

lviv. this city has not been hit since the spring. much of it is still without power. >> ♪ paul: in kyiv's famously deep metro, they gathered and sang. people lived down here for weeks when the war began. two daysgo ukraine was celebrating an attack on russia's bridge to crimea. today that euphoria is gone. fear once again stalking the capital. paul adams, bbc news, kyiv. laura: vladimir putin says the strikes are moscow's response to the attack over the weekend on a strategic russian bridge in crimea, which he called. an act of terrorism. the russn president said the attack on the bridge could not go unanswered. although ukraine has not formally declared involvement, it's unclear what caused the explosion. russia was quick to suggest it was a trunk bomb. so experts say there was an

explosion below the bridge. steve rosenberg reports. steve: after the missile strikes on ukraine, a kremlin threat to kyiv. >> [translated] if any more attempts are made to carry out terrorist attacks on our territory, russia's response will be harsh and eal to the threat posed to the russian federation. nobody should have doubts about that. steve: the kremlin has no doubts it was the ukrainian intelligence services that did this to the bridge between russia and annexed crimea. russia's response, the bombardment of ukraine. the missile strikes were from land, air, and sea. russian state tv saw them as a turning point. we have gone on the attack now on all fronts, she says. president biden condemned moscow's unprovoked aggression.

if you think the kremlin cares, think again. vladimir putin will not be distracted by international criticism of these russian attacks. he gives the impression of a leader who has long stopped caring about what the rest of the world thinks about him. his strategy, if there is one, is to keep escalating, to increase pressure on ukraine, and on the west. escalation increases the risks, the dangers for all sides. >> the conflict itself is very dangerous, because neither side can afford to lose. and that means the risks of escalation are there. and at least in theory, that implies that under a certain set of circumstances, this escalation could go as high as a nuclear war. steve: what about the russian public? surveys show escalation is

sparking growing anxiety. people here were worried by the missile strikes on ukraine and the attack on the crimean bridge. >> they shouldn't have blown up the bridge. it was a big mistake. i don't support shoving civilian targets, but we had to respond. now i worry about things calating. >> it's very bad for ukrainians. i am really sorry about them. i. don't know what to say. i's awful. steve: the kremlin feels no public pressure to change course. for now at gives president putin a free hand to act however he wants. that means contied confrontation. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. laura: president bidenays the bombardment destroyed targets with no military purpose and demonstrated moscow's brutality. i have been speaking to our

world affairs editor john simpson, who is in the basement of his hotel in kyiv. can you tell us, what's the mood like after these russian missile strikes? john: i have to say there is a lot of fear, obviously. so many missiles slamming into the city, into the country generally, it's bound to make people scare at the same time, it's only also had the effect of making them angrier and more determined and more certain that they are in the right and that this has to be resisted. if the idea on president putin's part was to frighten people and show ukraine that it's not going to win this war, it has failed badly. ukrainians already thought they were winning.

now they feel they have really got to win in order to stop this happening anymore. laura: you have covered so many wars. what do you think this escalation in russia's tactics tells us about where the conflict is going? john: one of the things it tells us is there is simply not going to be a shop on the board for ukraine to back down. i have seen these sorts of things various places in the world before. firing missiles, 87 missiles at this country just today, doesn't have the effect of making people scared and going away. they certainly are scared, there is no question about the fear. but it doesn't make them say, ok, it's time to surrender. it makes them say, we have got

to keep on doing this because if we don't, worse things could happen. ukrainians already feel they are winning this war. this has just given them the determination to push on with it, drive on with it. as for what it shows about russia, i think -- but it's only my opinion, but it is based on what a lot of peopleere are thinking, including the president of the country -- it's that russia is really divided at the top and putin himself isn't an entirely free age. he needs the support of his more extreme wing of the people that kind of backim but demand tougher action against ukraine. and he has to listen to them and

his new commander in the field, who is nicknamed general armageddon in russia, is demanding real heavy action against ukraine. laura: president biden said today the u.s. will stand with the ukrainians for as long as it takes, but you have been talking to president zelenskyy. is he worried the u.s. and ales will waiver in their supplies of missiles as energy prices rise? john: i don't think president zelenskyy has any anxieties about president biden or about britain's prime minister liz truss. not too many about president macron of france. but he does have worries. i think he is worried about germany, for instance. what happens if the winter is really bad and countries like germany have to soften their approach to russia in order to get the necessary fuel to get them through the winter? that must be at least a thought

hovering in the minds of some countries in europe. i don't think as far as the united states is concerned or britain, i don't think president zelenskyy has any fears, any anxieties whatsoever. laura: john simpson in kyiv, thanks f joining us after a long and arduous day. the u.n. secretary general said he was deeply shocked by what he called russia's escalation of the war, in which civilians were paying the highest price. our correspondent is at united nations headquarters in new york city where the u.n. general assembly is debating ukraine. the u.n. general assembly is sometimes called the. world's parliament. it is supposed to be debating russia's annexation of those territories and ukraine, but what do you think it has to say about russia's mass airstrikes across ukraine? >> we have already been hearing

from some nations. you had the representative for the eu saying they were appalled at the missiles and committed to holding perpetrators of war crimes accountable. we also heard from turkey, who has been a broker between east and west, saying they woke up to the shocking news and that the missiles were unacceptable. clearly this is having an impac on this debate at the u.n.. it has heightened tensions between ukraine's and russia's ambassadors. ukraine's ambassadors said his family were in a residential area that was targeted and could not get to a bomb shelter in the basement with enough. he also called russia a terrorist state. the russian ambassador returned a similar charge, lling keever a terrorist organization. we can see how intense this is getting and it's unclear whether that will impact this vote we

are expecting in the next few days and the general assembly, because while there has been concern about the war, there is also a deep worry if they push russia too much, it could prolong this conflict. it is interesting to see how different nations have been reacting, deciding whether to abstain or condemn russia. laura: we have the u.n. secretary general talking about the shocking price civilians are paying, but not calling out the russians. how awkward is it that russia is a permanentember of the u.n. security council, the organ that is supposed to ensure international peace and security, and yet isas invaded its neighbor ukraine? nada: it has been awkward from day one. the secretary-general in the security council chamber, just as russia called it the special military operation got underway months ago. the secretary-general has been

front and center in this. today he came out again saying his s an unacceptable escalation. as we are debating in the general assembly the annexation of ukrainian territories, the secretary-general said he hado underscore his position as the secretary-general to outline how it was against international law that proclaimed annexation. it has been difficult because the secretary-general wants to use his position to get things like the grain deal in place, to be able to be a voice that's able to reach agreement between parties. this is ultimately about the u.n. charter. when a spokesperson was asked what he would say to members of the general assembly, the spokesperson said he would appeal to states to protect the u.n. charter. laura: taiwan's president has compared china's military intimidation of the island to

russia's invasion of ukraine. taiwan is celebrating its national day as tensions with china are rising because of beijing's literary drills and the taanese straight. the president saidoth beijing and moscow posed a threat to the democratic world order. china claimed it is governing taiwan as part of its territory and could use force. opinion polls suggest a greater number of people than ever identified as taiwanese, wanting the island to maintain its democratic political system and open society. rupert wingfield-hayes sent this report from taiwan. rupert: it may not look like it, but these ponds in southern taiwan are filled with gold. the huge fish thrhing around in the ponds are grouper. on the tables of beijing and shanghai, each one can fetch up to $2000 u.s.

81% of groer used to go to china, now it is the rope. beijing's important bands are hitting taiwan where it hurts. is it working? older fishermen like me are nervous, he says, but the younger generation are not worried. they think if china doesn't want to buy our fish, we will sell to other markets all over the world. china isn't just threatening taiwan's economy. it has made threats to take the island by force, test firing dozens of missiles against the taiwan strait. if taiwan people are scared, they are not showing much sign of it. it's election season here and at nightly rallies, candidates are onstage appealing to voters. unlike china, people here get to choose who rules them and they are not about to give that up. taiwan is justifiably proud of its democracy.

there is nothing like this anywhere else in the chinese speaking world. it is not just tain's democracy threatened by xi jinping, it's all their rights and freedoms people enjoy here, their way of life. at a home in the south of taipei , a couple is playing with their two-year-old daughter. in 2019 taiwan became the first place in asia to legalize same-sex marriage. they are now expecting baby number two. >> being homosexual was something you had to hide, but things have changed now. we are out in the open and the government has accepted and recognized us. rupert: for couples like this, the stakes couldn't be higher. they say if china wants taiwan, it will have to invade, and if that happens, people like them will have to leave. laura: in iran, reports suggest

workers at oil refineries have joined the protests. since mahsa amini died in police custody, there have been antigovernment protests across the country. one of the biggest challenges to the islamic republic since the 1979 revolution. . reporter: some of iran's oil workers have joined antigovernment protests, a significant escalation. here in the heart of iran's oil industry, they are chanting, this is the last year of the supreme leader. when oil workers came out during the revolution in 1979, they helped bring down the shah. over the weekend, a group of shop owners also showed anger with the authorities. the businessmen in the bazaar in

the center of tehran kept their shutters down. protest started when mahsa amini was arrested by the morality police and later arrived -- later died. authorities say she had a heart condition. her family says she was beaten up in custody. as the death toll rises, authorities are struggling to control the street movement, which has no leader. students continue to march, despite the risks, and women are claiming their place on the streets of tehran without wearing the mandatory hijab. neither side is backing down. laura: iran's protests intensify. we often hear about the damage plastic does to our oceans and wildlife. it turns out fishing nets are the hardest plastic to recycle. trawler nets are especially difficult to process. a new scheme means they will be

recycled in the u.k. for the first time. jenna fischer has more. reporter: i receives are filling up with plastic. much of it a the bottles and bags we throw away every day, t about 10% comes from the fishing industry, and the problem with abandoned nets is they keep catching things. on the cornish coast, that means seals. these were spotted with parts of old nets around their necks. >> seals are very curious and will look at the lost fishing gear. it's the most exciting thing they have seen all day. they will play with it. that entanglement is life-threatening. reporter: how does all that fishing gear get there? >> change this, change that. reporter: some of it is lost, but for years the fishermen's dirty secret was the easiest way

of getting rid of an old net was to dump it at sea. adam is a skipper and says things have changed, with fishermen now bringing in their old nets as well as any debris and plastic they find in the open sea. >> everybody was dumping their nets after six to 12 months. now nobody is doing it. it's a massive difference we are making. reporter: for the last few years, a scheme has been in place which takes away the fishermen's old nets once they have been brought to shore. part of the reason why recycling fishing nets is so complicated is because they are made of different materials. there is metal, different sorts of plastic, anthat has to be sorted. that's what neil is doing before the plastic parts can be sent off to be processed.

this is the new processing facility in e cotswolds, which means the nets from british trawlers. can for >> they are usable in different applications. this footwear it contains the fishing nets. people are walking around with jews that have some fishing nets in them. reporter: it has gone from being a net to footwear. it's a small step forward and what will be a long journey, cleaning up our polluted oceans. jenna fischer, bbc news, brixton harbor. laura: an update on our top story -- keep h come under attack again monday night. at least six large explosions in the center of the city. they follow more than 80 strikes on at least 10 ukrainian cities, including kyiv, denny pro, and

separation. i am laura trevelyan. narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... narrator: financial services firm, raymond james. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundaon. by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. and by contributions to this pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ ♪ narrator: you're watching pbs. ♪ da-da-da-duh-da-da-da♪ ♪ da-da-da-da-da-da ♪♪

judy: good evening. i'm judy woodruff. on the "newshour" tonight, the invasion intensifies. russia conducts missile strikes in several major ukrainian cities in response to this weend's bridge attack. then, the booster campaign. the government worries the effort to vaccinate people against newer covid 19 variants is going too slowly, as public health concerns remain. and the fight to vote. low literacy voters struggle to cast their ballots in the face of a wave of restrictive new voting laws. >> the more barriers that you put in front of people with with reading struggles, the more likely it is that they will avoid voting altogether or perhaps, you know, vote for the wrong person. judy: all that and more on tonight'