BBCNEWS — BBC News
20260806 073000 UTC
528 transcript segments
Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced)
Data courtesy of The GDELT Project (https://www.gdeltproject.org/), from the Internet Archive TV News Archive.
Machine transcription. Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a verbatim quotation record.

[00:00:00] disinformation using data analysis analysis and the latest technology. technology. Our journalists examine
[00:00:03] examine the evidence and get to the the facts. Watch our BBC Verify reports
[00:00:06] reports on the BBC News channel or
[00:00:07] or go online to find out more. With
[00:00:16] With BBC News our main headlines headlines now. Iran says a deal with
[00:00:19] with Oman on a shipping route through through the Strait of Hormuz is in
[00:00:23] in its final stages. Israel says says two of its soldiers have been
[00:00:26] been killed in southern Lebanon as
[00:00:28] as it resumed strikes on the country.
[00:00:31] country. Plans for walk in mental mental health centres to be open
[00:00:34] open in banks and libraries across
[00:00:36] across England are unveiled by the the government. Afghanistan's exiled
[00:00:40] exiled women footballers make an an international comeback after a
[00:00:44] a change in Fifa's rules and we meet
[00:00:47] meet the 97-year-old woman who has
[00:00:49] has successfully broken her own world world record, becoming the oldest
[00:00:52] oldest woman to complete a wing walk.
[00:01:00] walk. So much more on all of those those stories coming up. But right
[00:01:03] right now we're going to get a full full update on the business news
[00:01:07] news and Tiger, I guess is the business business community watching what
[00:01:10] what is happening in the Middle East? East? Yeah, absolutely. Obviously, Obviously, the passage through the
[00:01:14] the Strait of Hormuz, what that means means for oil is that very important
[00:01:17] important to the business community community and the rest of us as well.
[00:01:20] well. And as we've been reporting, reporting, an Iranian spokesperson
[00:01:23] spokesperson says that a deal has has been reached with Oman on a new
[00:01:26] new shipping route through the Strait Strait of Hormuz. This all following
[00:01:30] following promises from President President Trump and other senior
[00:01:32] senior US officials that a deal was
[00:01:35] was imminent to resume safe passage
[00:01:37] passage for ships, oil tankers and and others through that vital Gulf
[00:01:41] Gulf waterway. Uncertainties do remain,
[00:01:43] remain, though the Iranians have have stressed that the agreement
[00:01:47] agreement cannot mean there is a a safe passage through the strait
[00:01:50] strait as long as the US maintains
[00:01:53] maintains a naval blockade on Iranian
[00:01:55] Iranian ports. It's also unclear unclear whether Washington will accept
[00:01:59] accept any deal in which Iran will
[00:02:01] will retain some control over the
[00:02:03] the channel. For now, though, oil oil prices appear largely unmoved
[00:02:07] unmoved by the latest developments. developments. A barrel of Brent crude,
[00:02:10] crude, currently trading at around
[00:02:13] around $79. West Texas Intermediate
[00:02:16] Intermediate at $75 a barrel. I've I've been speaking to Cormac McGarry,
[00:02:19] McGarry, a maritime expert and director
[00:02:22] director at the Control Risks Advisory, Advisory, and he's been trying to
[00:02:26] to decipher the mixed messages coming
[00:02:28] coming from all sides. Well, in the
[00:02:31] the past 24, 48 hours, there's clearly clearly there's, signals kind of
[00:02:35] of being clearly deliberately leaked leaked into the media by both the
[00:02:39] the US, Iran and probably Oman as
[00:02:41] as well. A lot of mixed mixed signals, signals, but they're all indicating
[00:02:45] indicating that something is about about to happen. So what I want to
[00:02:47] to say is kind of caution. We don't
[00:02:49] don't know exactly what's about to
[00:02:52] to happen, but the indications are are that an agreement is about to
[00:02:55] to be announced that might look something something like this, where if ships
[00:02:59] ships are going to go into the Gulf. Gulf. So westward through the Strait
[00:03:02] Strait of Hormuz, they would enter enter through an Iranian route and
[00:03:05] and then coming out, exiting eastwards, eastwards, they would go through
[00:03:09] through an Oman controlled route. route. So basically one through Iran
[00:03:12] Iran and one out through Oman. But
[00:03:15] But that would involve acknowledging acknowledging that Iran has at least
[00:03:18] least some control over the Strait Strait of Hormuz. And that would
[00:03:20] would be a bitter pill for the US
[00:03:22] US to swallow. Right. Did the harsh
[00:03:25] harsh tactical reality of the Strait Strait of Hormuz is that Iran has
[00:03:29] has emerged from this war with almost almost full tactical control of the
[00:03:32] the Strait of Hormuz. So the long-term long-term scenario planning that
[00:03:35] that we're trying to do at Control
[00:03:37] Control Risks for our clients in in all the scenarios, scenarios we
[00:03:41] we look at realistically, they include include Iran maintaining some level
[00:03:45] level of control. So what we see
[00:03:47] see in the next few days, if it does does actually emerge into reality,
[00:03:51] reality, it's probably going to be
[00:03:52] be a reality in which Iran has realistic
[00:03:56] realistic control of the strait. strait. Yeah. I mean, in that context,
[00:03:59] context, how significant is it that
[00:04:02] that the Houthis, that significant
[00:04:05] significant force within Yemen who who are allied with Iran, have been
[00:04:08] been attacking ships elsewhere in in the region, specifically in the
[00:04:12] the Red Sea? Another important channel.
[00:04:16] channel. It is all part of the picture. picture. Now, we don't want to mistake
[00:04:20] mistake the Houthis for being Iran. Iran. They are allied with each other. other. But the Houthis don't just
[00:04:24] just do what the Iranians tell them. them. The Houthis are pursuing their
[00:04:26] their own aims and purposes, and and that's a blockade of Saudi Arabia
[00:04:30] Arabia effectively, is what they're they're doing. It is part of the the picture, however, because that
[00:04:34] that that will be part of the pressure
[00:04:36] pressure on the US. To concede something something to Iran. It's part it's
[00:04:40] it's all part of that grand strategic
[00:04:43] strategic picture that that is basically basically saying the US cannot control control that strait. And then the
[00:04:47] the broader picture, it cannot control control the strait and the southern
[00:04:49] southern Red Sea at the same time. time. And if it wants business to
[00:04:53] to get back to some form of normal, normal, it's going to have to concede
[00:04:57] concede militarily. And what would would you say Cormac is different
[00:05:00] different this time as compared with
[00:05:02] with a few months ago when we thought thought we had the outline of a deal
[00:05:06] deal that would reopen that strait strait all over again. I think what's
[00:05:10] what's different is that so back back in maybe two months ago in early
[00:05:13] early June, the MOU was announced announced and we were forecasting
[00:05:17] forecasting that. So the system that that was announced effectively allowed
[00:05:21] allowed some ships to get through. through. We thought Iran would turn
[00:05:24] turn a blind eye. Iran was saying saying that it would administer the
[00:05:27] the strait. We thought they would would turn a blind eye to the fact
[00:05:30] fact that a lot of ships were going going to sail without asking their
[00:05:34] their permission, but Iran shut that that down pretty quickly and started started attacking ships again. And
[00:05:37] And then we entered the round of of violence that we've seen for the
[00:05:40] the past month or so. What's different
[00:05:42] different now is that we know Iran Iran has asserted itself and said
[00:05:46] said if ships sail without its permission, permission, it will attack them.
[00:05:50] them. And there's there's no doubt
[00:05:52] doubt about it that shipping, getting getting back to normal is going to
[00:05:55] to have some form of normal is going going to happen under some sort,
[00:05:58] sort, some form of Iranian regime.
[00:06:01] regime. The Trump administration administration has had to refund
[00:06:04] refund $100 billion of its so-called so-called Liberation Day tariffs
[00:06:08] tariffs to businesses after they they were ruled to have been illegal.
[00:06:11] illegal. That's around 60% of all all the revenue collected by the
[00:06:14] the US government under the policy, policy, according to a recent court
[00:06:18] court filing from US Customs and and Border Protection. Meanwhile,
[00:06:22] Meanwhile, 25 US states are now suing suing the Trump administration over
[00:06:25] over the latest wave of tariffs on
[00:06:27] on imports from dozens of countries,
[00:06:30] countries, including Australia and and Norway, because of accusations accusations they weren't doing enough
[00:06:33] enough to tackle forced labour. The
[00:06:36] The states, all led by the Democratic Democratic Party, called the new
[00:06:39] new tariffs arbitrary, capricious capricious and contrary to law. I've
[00:06:43] I've been speaking to Professor Barry Barry Appleton, a co-director of
[00:06:47] of the centre for International Law Law at New York Law School. He testified
[00:06:50] testified to the US Trade Representative Representative on the issue of forced
[00:06:54] forced labour and has been explaining explaining the legal complexities
[00:06:56] complexities of it. Well, it's kind
[00:07:00] kind of complicated. Look, nobody nobody is in favour of the use of
[00:07:03] of forced labour in imports where where everybody all the countries
[00:07:06] countries have laws that deal with with it. The difference is their
[00:07:10] their laws are different from the
[00:07:11] the way the US does it. The US has
[00:07:15] has put in a reverse onus. They've They've said everything is deemed
[00:07:18] deemed to be use of forced labour
[00:07:21] labour unless you can prove it to
[00:07:24] to the alternative. And so many countries countries like the UK, Australia,
[00:07:27] Australia, Canada have forced labour
[00:07:28] labour laws. But they say you have
[00:07:31] have to only prosecute those who who have an allegation of use of
[00:07:34] of forced labour. And the Americans Americans have imposed a tax on that.
[00:07:38] that. So it's not that there's a a proof of any link to forced labour.
[00:07:41] labour. It's simply that there's there's a difference in the way that
[00:07:45] that everybody's enforcing it. And And that seems pretty unfair. So
[00:07:49] So looking at the specifics of the the case that these 25 individual
[00:07:52] individual US states have taken,
[00:07:54] taken, how strong would you say it
[00:07:57] it is? Well, you know, what's interesting interesting about this is that this
[00:08:01] this is the third time now that something something is going to the US courts.
[00:08:04] courts. If you remember, on the trade trade liberation tariffs, the US
[00:08:08] US Supreme Court struck that down. down. That was the first time anyone
[00:08:10] anyone had ever used the Ieepa tariff.
[00:08:13] tariff. And they said that that was was improper. It wasn't properly
[00:08:16] properly connected. And there was
[00:08:18] was another power owned by the Congress.
[00:08:21] Congress. This area, section 301, 301, is very established. It's been
[00:08:24] been used for over 60 years. The
[00:08:28] The difficulty here is, is that there there was a very shortened period.
[00:08:32] period. There's no link whatsoever whatsoever to the proof of forced
[00:08:35] forced labour that's here. And so so the fairness, the discrimination
[00:08:39] discrimination you'd want to show
[00:08:40] show the rationality is absent. So
[00:08:43] So normally a 301 doesn't have a
[00:08:44] a good shot. But this particular
[00:08:47] particular tariff looks and doesn't doesn't smell right. It just doesn't
[00:08:51] doesn't seem to have the right fit. fit. So I would say that this has
[00:08:54] has a better chance than most to
[00:08:56] to be able to succeed. But it's going
[00:08:58] going to take time. Would you welcome
[00:09:01] welcome big trading nations such such as the United States? More of
[00:09:04] of them doing more to prevent forced
[00:09:07] forced labour, even if it involves
[00:09:09] involves the use of tariffs. Well,
[00:09:12] Well, tariffs are not a very effective effective tool with respect to forced
[00:09:16] forced labour. But a it's not that
[00:09:20] that we're it's not that anyone would would be opposed to the use of tariffs
[00:09:22] tariffs per se if there was actually actually a link. But remember in
[00:09:26] in this case the 59 countries in
[00:09:28] in the EU, the 60 affected participants,
[00:09:31] participants, there's no proof whatsoever whatsoever that they're using forced forced labour. It's simply they're
[00:09:35] they're enforcing it in a different different way. And somehow that doesn't
[00:09:38] doesn't seem to be right. Shares
[00:09:41] Shares in the Google owner alphabet alphabet have been falling after
[00:09:44] after a shake-up at the top of the
[00:09:46] the company's AI business. Demis Demis Hassabis, the chief executive
[00:09:49] executive of Google DeepMind, is
[00:09:51] is going to become chief scientist
[00:09:54] scientist at alphabet. This all comes comes as four of Google's AI researchers
[00:09:58] researchers announced they were leaving leaving to start their own company.
[00:10:01] company. Here's our North America America business correspondent Samira
[00:10:03] Samira Hussain. Google is under immense
[00:10:07] immense pressure as it competes with
[00:10:08] with the likes of Anthropic and OpenAI.
[00:10:11] OpenAI. It is why this big shake-up
[00:10:14] shake-up of their AI leadership has has investors just so nervous. There
[00:10:17] There are worries that alphabet has
[00:10:19] has actually fallen behind in the
[00:10:21] the AI race, even though it created
[00:10:24] created some of the key technologies technologies that are underpinning
[00:10:28] underpinning current AI models. Now Now also remember like other tech
[00:10:31] tech firms, Google continues to spend spend big on AI data centres and
[00:10:35] and such to the tune of somewhere
[00:10:39] somewhere between 195 to $205 billion. billion. That's an awful lot of money
[00:10:43] money to spend on a division of a a company that is going through such
[00:10:46] such a massive shake up. Well staying staying on the subject of AI it's
[00:10:50] it's proving to be a useful tool
[00:10:52] tool in tackling this summer's record.
[00:10:55] record. Wildfires in Europe, coupled
[00:10:57] coupled with satellite imagery, artificial artificial intelligence models are
[00:11:01] are helping emergency services to
[00:11:03] to detect fires earlier and to forecast
[00:11:06] forecast how they'll spread. I've I've been speaking to Doctor Axel
[00:11:10] Axel Riniker of Aurora tech, which
[00:11:12] which helps to develop Greece's first first national wildfire detection
[00:11:15] detection system. He told me how
[00:11:17] how it works. So from space we can
[00:11:21] can continuously monitor fires with
[00:11:25] with satellites that measure infrared.
[00:11:27] infrared. So we measure heat rather
[00:11:30] rather than visible smoke or flames.
[00:11:31] flames. And we scan the Earth's surface
[00:11:35] surface surface looking for heat
[00:11:37] heat signatures frequently and globally. globally. So with that information
[00:11:40] information combined with. Weather
[00:11:43] Weather vegetation and terrain data,
[00:11:46] data, our AI turns millions of data
[00:11:49] data points into a simple alert and
[00:11:51] and actionable insight like how the
[00:11:54] the fire evolves, where it goes.
[00:11:55] goes. And how important it is. Europe
[00:11:58] Europe is getting used to more wildfires. wildfires. It's probably going to
[00:12:01] to have to. Other parts of the world world are more accustomed to dealing
[00:12:04] dealing with them. And I wonder,
[00:12:06] wonder, is this part of that Europe
[00:12:09] Europe becoming more capable of managing
[00:12:13] managing wildfires? Wildfires need
[00:12:17] need to be detected earlier if you
[00:12:18] you want to if you want to act on
[00:12:21] on a manageable size of the fire.
[00:12:23] fire. Once fires get beyond a certain
[00:12:27] certain size, there is no control. control. So the earlier you can detect
[00:12:30] detect a fire and even predict where
[00:12:32] where fires are likely to happen,
[00:12:34] happen, you can put forces on the the ground, be prepared and react
[00:12:38] react when the fire is still manageable. manageable. And this is where we
[00:12:41] we need to get to go. Obviously there's there's like also in the prevention
[00:12:45] prevention part that we need to do
[00:12:47] do things like, removing vegetation
[00:12:49] vegetation early enough, etc. Is
[00:12:53] Is there a risk that this kind of of technology could promote maybe
[00:12:56] maybe some complacency about climate climate change that we rely on technology
[00:13:00] technology to help mitigate its worst
[00:13:03] worst impacts? No, we are currently
[00:13:07] currently using firefighting often often technologies that are, you
[00:13:09] you know, 100 years old and we just
[00:13:11] just need to catch up and use what,
[00:13:14] what, what we have at hand, to, battle
[00:13:19] battle wildfires, with the appropriate appropriate means. OK. And setting
[00:13:22] setting up systems and infrastructure. infrastructure. This is like roads
[00:13:24] roads and bridges and IT infrastructure.
[00:13:28] infrastructure. This is something something that every country should
[00:13:30] should have. Yeah, it certainly is.
[00:13:32] is. And honestly, I coming back, back, just having been to Greece,
[00:13:36] Greece, beautiful, beautiful country country with so much concern about about the various wildfires there,
[00:13:40] there, many around Athens, the capital. Yeah, we're all in this this part of the world becoming more
[00:13:43] more accustomed to more and more more frequent wildfires. You've just just come back from Greece. I've
[00:13:47] I've just come back from wine country country in California, where I noticed
[00:13:51] noticed nearly every half mile on on the road. Fire stations, fire
[00:13:55] fire trucks. They're keenly aware aware of the danger of fires. And
[00:13:58] And I guess that's how we're going going to have to develop ourselves ourselves in Europe as well. Indeed.
[00:14:02] Indeed. And of course, concern also also in France you're talking about
[00:14:06] about Bordeaux, Bordeaux as well. well. A lot of concern about those
[00:14:09] those vineyards and all of that. that. The damage and destruction. destruction. Tyg as always, thank
[00:14:13] thank you so much for the business business news. We will be back to
[00:14:16] to you. Tomorrow. Tomorrow? Yeah,
[00:14:19] Yeah, I'm going home now. OK. It It is an early start. I will admit admit it's an early start. Not as
[00:14:23] as a morning person. Yeah, makes makes me confused. Tadhg Enright
[00:14:26] Enright there lots more still to to come here on the BBC News channel.
[00:14:30] channel. We are going to be meeting
[00:14:32] meeting Afghanistan's exiled women women footballers because they are
[00:14:35] are making an international comeback
[00:14:37] comeback after a change in Fifa's
[00:14:41] Fifa's rules. Now, Africa's richest
[00:14:44] richest man, Aliko Dangote has told told the BBC about his plans to build
[00:14:48] build a new oil refinery in Kenya,
[00:14:50] Kenya, which he says will help African African countries become energy self-sufficient.
[00:14:54] self-sufficient. My colleague Nancy
[00:14:56] Nancy Kacungira caught up with Mr Mr Dangote in Lagos and began by
[00:15:00] by asking him just how advanced the
[00:15:02] the plans are for the refinery. The
[00:15:05] The plans have actually gone very
[00:15:08] very far with Kenya and because what
[00:15:11] what we are trying to do really is
[00:15:12] is to try and make sure that you
[00:15:15] you know, most African countries
[00:15:17] countries we make them self-sufficient
[00:15:21] self-sufficient in their own, you
[00:15:23] you know, energy needs energy needs
[00:15:26] needs fertiliser. And so going back
[00:15:29] back to your question, how far we've
[00:15:31] we've gone, we've gone very far.
[00:15:34] far. And I think by latest by October
[00:15:38] October we'll be doing, groundbreaking
[00:15:42] groundbreaking once we break ground,
[00:15:44] ground, we will start the construction
[00:15:46] construction very soon. We are really really planning something very big
[00:15:50] big within the African continent continent and a lot of people say,
[00:15:54] say, well, does the refinery in East East Africa, does it make sense?
[00:15:56] sense? It makes a lot of sense because
[00:15:59] because the refinery is not only
[00:16:01] only for Kenya. That's why we are
[00:16:03] are calling it East African refinery,
[00:16:06] refinery, you know, so that can serve
[00:16:10] serve a lot of countries up to even even Egypt. How much do you expect expect the East African refinery
[00:16:13] refinery to. I think we. Thought Thought it was going to cost 17 billion.
[00:16:17] billion. But it's going to cost much. much. It will cost less than that.
[00:16:20] that. We are looking at about 15.5,
[00:16:23] 15.5, $16 billion. Why will it cost
[00:16:25] cost less than you originally anticipated?
[00:16:28] anticipated? Because this one will
[00:16:29] will be faster. So in terms of financing
[00:16:33] financing costs will be less. And
[00:16:35] And then also you know, we are wiser
[00:16:39] wiser as a company than that time time we built this one because we
[00:16:43] we are just learning when we built built the one here. So that is really
[00:16:47] really what is helping us. So in
[00:16:49] in terms of timing, we'll be able
[00:16:51] able to build in less than four years.
[00:16:53] years. So the location is decided. decided. What about the financing.
[00:16:56] financing. Are you looking at cash cash debt equity. Yeah. Well look
[00:16:59] look at. All that. You know looking
[00:17:01] looking at equity and debt. So 30%
[00:17:05] 30% is going to be equity. And then
[00:17:09] then 70% will be debt. But we know know we don't have any problem raising
[00:17:13] raising the money. So what do you
[00:17:16] you see as the impact that this refinery
[00:17:18] refinery could have on energy security? It's going to have a massive
[00:17:22] massive impact really. And then also
[00:17:24] also it guarantees the countries countries getting their own products.
[00:17:27] products. They are not going to live live hand to mouth. You know, they
[00:17:30] they are listening. And then, you you know, the refinery is there.
[00:17:33] there. It's for them. And that's that's his full interview is going
[00:17:36] going to be available on a new Africa Africa business programme, which
[00:17:38] which starts right here on the BBC
[00:17:41] BBC News channel in October. Now, Now, in the five years since the
[00:17:44] the Taliban returned to power in
[00:17:46] in Afghanistan, women have been banned banned from all organised sport.
[00:17:50] sport. But against the odds, Afghanistan's Afghanistan's women footballers now
[00:17:54] now scattered across the world, have have found a way back onto the international
[00:17:57] international stage. It's after Fifa Fifa changed its rules, allowing
[00:18:00] allowing them to officially represent
[00:18:03] represent Afghanistan. Mahjooba Nowrouzi Nowrouzi from BBC Global Women followed
[00:18:06] followed their journey as they travelled travelled to New Zealand for their
[00:18:09] their first training camp and match.
[00:18:14] match. At the time, the. A song for
[00:18:19] for Afghanistan, a team reunited. reunited. These players have travelled
[00:18:23] travelled from across the world for
[00:18:25] for two friendlies in Auckland against
[00:18:28] against the Cook Islands. The first
[00:18:31] first century FA allowed Afghanistan's
[00:18:33] Afghanistan's team in exile back back into international football.
[00:18:36] football. We want Afghanistan to to be free and we want Afghan girls
[00:18:39] girls and women to be free, to be
[00:18:42] be able to choose who they want to
[00:18:44] to be. We want to prove that we are are still here. We still fighting
[00:18:48] fighting for the rights that you you took away from us. Five years
[00:18:51] years ago. Everything changed for
[00:18:53] for them almost overnight when the
[00:18:56] the Taliban returned to power, women
[00:18:58] women were banned from playing sports.
[00:19:01] sports. Afghanistan's women's team team was forced into exile, unable
[00:19:05] unable to represent their country. country. They were scattered across
[00:19:08] across the world. I was bullied throughout throughout high school and football football gave me the confidence to
[00:19:12] to be who I am today and to be able
[00:19:14] able to speak loud so I don't know
[00:19:16] know where I would be. Two three. three. Now they are back together
[00:19:20] together rebuilding the team. They
[00:19:21] They thought they had lost for these
[00:19:24] these players, football is more than than a game. I wanted to use this
[00:19:28] this platform to advocate for the the women of Afghanistan who haven't
[00:19:30] haven't been allowed to study for for the past five years. Obviously
[00:19:34] Obviously the book the Rose, who
[00:19:37] who is a representation of women
[00:19:40] women and the date August 15th and
[00:19:42] and the date that Afghanistan fell.
[00:19:46] fell. These matches are only the
[00:19:48] the beginning. The aim is to rebuild
[00:19:50] rebuild Afghanistan's team in exile
[00:19:52] exile and to compete for a place
[00:19:56] place at the 2028 Olympic Games. Games. I will be proud of the team
[00:19:59] team and proud of myself that I was was part of the journey and we made
[00:20:03] made history by being the first like
[00:20:05] like football team to get our recognition
[00:20:07] recognition without the approval approval of the Taliban. I'm so proud proud of our young players who played
[00:20:11] played today. Great game. Don't cry. cry. Don't put your heads down. It's
[00:20:14] It's more than football for us. Afghanistan
[00:20:17] Afghanistan lost both matches to
[00:20:18] to the Cook Islands, but after years
[00:20:21] years in exile simply wearing their
[00:20:23] their country's colours again is
[00:20:25] is a victory. Their Olympic dream dream is is still alive. We don't
[00:20:29] don't know when we're going to see see each other again, but it's just
[00:20:32] just always amazing to have the second
[00:20:34] second family. Out. Mahjooba Nowrouzi
[00:20:39] Nowrouzi BBC Auckland. Great to see see them back together now the Nigerian
[00:20:42] Nigerian government says that more more than 300 people have been freed
[00:20:45] freed in what's described as the the largest ever rescue operation
[00:20:49] operation by the security forces forces in a single day. More than than half of the kidnapped victims
[00:20:53] victims were seized by suspected suspected jihadists six months ago.
[00:20:56] ago. The rest were taken from Niger
[00:20:58] Niger State. Now the attack in Kwara Kwara targeted two villages near
[00:21:02] near the border with Benin. At least
[00:21:05] least 75 people were killed. The
[00:21:09] The UK, the UK government has set set out plans for more than 150 walk
[00:21:13] walk in mental health centres across
[00:21:16] across England, Chloe Hayward reports.
[00:21:19] reports. 123 a year ago, a new mental mental health facility opened in
[00:21:23] in east London and its success means means the model is now being rolled
[00:21:26] rolled out across England. The NHS
[00:21:29] NHS centre brings specialist teams teams to the community, helping people
[00:21:32] people in crisis and preventing A&E
[00:21:34] A&E admissions. We want to have conversations conversations with people really
[00:21:37] really early on so we can work out out what people need and also point
[00:21:40] point them in the right direction. direction. Once we've worked out
[00:21:42] out what the problem is, just walking walking around to the main entrance.
[00:21:45] entrance. This facility is one of
[00:21:47] of six pilot centres that have had had a big impact. Local hospital
[00:21:51] hospital stays have halved in length length and over three months. The
[00:21:54] The total number of hospital bed
[00:21:56] bed days went down from 216 to just
[00:21:59] just 81. And straight away you can can see it's quite an open area.
[00:22:02] area. Today's announcement by the the Department of Health means 100
[00:22:05] 100 community mental health hubs hubs on top of the six pilots will
[00:22:09] will be open by 2029, offering walk
[00:22:12] walk in support without an appointment. appointment. There will also be 59
[00:22:15] 59 new dedicated mental health emergency emergency departments, giving people
[00:22:19] people specialist care when in crisis.
[00:22:21] crisis. The rollout is backed by
[00:22:25] by nearly £350 million from the capital capital investment. Starmer's government
[00:22:28] government announced. The hope is is that bringing more accessible
[00:22:30] accessible help closer to home for
[00:22:33] for patients will reduce A&E admissions admissions overall and for those
[00:22:36] those in crisis, bring them the right right care rather than a long wait
[00:22:39] wait in a busy and inappropriately inappropriately equipped emergency
[00:22:42] emergency unit. The pilots have worked. worked. The evidence is there that
[00:22:45] that it's better for people. It's It's more helpful for the investment
[00:22:48] investment that we're putting into into the health system. So now we we need to get moving, rolling these
[00:22:52] these out as fast as possible, getting getting them across every part of
[00:22:56] of the country so that we deliver deliver the care that people actually
[00:22:58] actually need to help them get better, better, get back to work and actually
[00:23:02] actually live a full and flourishing flourishing life. Demand for mental
[00:23:05] mental health services has risen risen sharply, particularly among
[00:23:08] among children and young people, people, with around 1 in 5 experiencing
[00:23:12] experiencing a common mental health health condition each year. The Samaritans
[00:23:16] Samaritans say they receive a call
[00:23:18] call every 10s and that these facilities
[00:23:21] facilities need to open as fast as
[00:23:22] as possible. Chloe Hayward BBC News.
[00:23:27] News. Now a 97-year-old woman has has successfully broken her own world
[00:23:30] world record to become the oldest
[00:23:32] oldest woman to complete a wing walk. walk. Betty Bromage raised money
[00:23:35] money for staff who helped her recover recover from a stroke. Well, Steve
[00:23:39] Steve Knibbs was there to see her
[00:23:41] her fly high. Betty's back 97 years
[00:23:47] years young and taking to the skies skies again. I just get bored with
[00:23:51] with life. Otherwise when you get get old you can't go here. You can't
[00:23:55] can't do this. You can't drive, you you can't see. I can't see very well.
[00:23:58] well. And I get a bit frustrated.
[00:24:02] frustrated. Up in the air. Betty's Betty's at home in her element on
[00:24:05] on the ground, her friends and neighbours neighbours from her retirement village
[00:24:08] village in Cheltenham watch on nervously.
[00:24:13] nervously. Betty. Betty started all all this ten years ago at the age
[00:24:17] age of 87. She's since abseiled down down a tower in Cheltenham and took
[00:24:20] took on a zipwire in Snowdonia. And And today she pushed the envelope
[00:24:24] envelope even further, asking the
[00:24:25] the pilot to throw in a barrel roll.
[00:24:28] roll. Oh, my God. All of this was
[00:24:31] was done to raise money for the stroke stroke unit in Cheltenham. They helped
[00:24:35] helped Betty when she had a stroke stroke last year. So kind to me and
[00:24:38] and straight away the treatment I
[00:24:43] I got it affects my words. I go to to say a word and it doesn't always
[00:24:47] always come out. But the rest of of me I'm fit as a fiddle. Well for
[00:24:50] for a 97 year. Old. Today the staff
[00:24:53] staff sent her a good luck message.
[00:24:56] message. Grateful for the support.
[00:24:57] support. Thank you Betty. It's just
[00:25:01] just amazing that she's doing this this for us. We're so grateful. And
[00:25:05] And to, you know, go up and wing wing walk and take on such a daring
[00:25:09] daring and incredible challenge and and to support our stroke services services team. It's just amazing.
[00:25:12] amazing. We're so grateful. We really really appreciate what she's doing.
[00:25:16] doing. Back on the ground, Betty Betty took it all in her stride with
[00:25:19] with confirmation that she broke broke her own world record yet again
[00:25:23] again as the oldest female wing,
[00:25:24] wing, Walker. Officially. Amazing.
[00:25:28] Amazing. I was a trained children's children's nurse and I went to work work in Doctor Barnardo's home in
[00:25:32] in Bristol and above my bed it said. said. We passed through this world,
[00:25:35] world, but once any good we can do
[00:25:37] do any kindness we can show. Do it
[00:25:39] it now. Do not defer or neglect it.
[00:25:42] it. You shall not pass this way again. again. In two and a half years' time
[00:25:45] time Betty has promised to take to to the skies again when she turns
[00:25:48] turns 100 to become a magnificent magnificent centenarian on a flying
[00:25:52] flying machine. Steve Knibbs, BBC
[00:25:54] BBC News Renkum. And of course she
[00:25:57] she will be like Betty. That's the the motto for today, I think. Lots
[00:26:00] Lots more coming up here on the BBC
[00:26:02] BBC News channel with Karin Giannone, Giannone, but for me and the team
[00:26:06] team right now, as always, thanks thanks for being
[00:29:43] MUSIC
[00:30:13] Live from London. This is BBC
[00:30:15] News. Iran says a deal with Oman Oman on a shipping route through
[00:30:19] through the Strait of Hormuz is in in its final stages. Israel says
[00:30:23] says two of its soldiers have been been killed in southern Lebanon as
[00:30:26] as it resumes strikes on the country.
[00:30:29] country. Four women tell the BBC BBC they were sexually assaulted
[00:30:32] assaulted and harassed at an army army training college for teenagers
[00:30:35] teenagers in North Yorkshire. We'll We'll have a special report. The
[00:30:39] The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino,
[00:30:41] Infantino, apologises after a backlash backlash over his proposal to sell
[00:30:44] sell shares in the World Cup to private
[00:30:46] private investors. Myanmar's military military leader visits Thailand as
[00:30:50] as Bangkok pushes for re-engagement
[00:30:52] re-engagement with its regional neighbours.
[00:30:55] neighbours. And Afghanistan's exiled exiled women footballers make an
[00:30:58] an international comeback after a