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20260917 113000 UTC
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[00:01:02] coping? For more coverage join me
[00:01:04] me James Landale here on BBC News.
[00:01:13] News. Here at BBC Verify we use forensic forensic investigative techniques
[00:01:16] techniques and tools to fact check
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[00:01:21] disinformation using data analysis analysis and the latest technology. technology. Our journalists examine
[00:01:24] examine the evidence and get to the the facts. Watch our BBC Verify reports
[00:01:27] reports on the BBC News channel or
[00:01:29] or go online to find out more. These
[00:01:39] These are the latest headlines from from BBC News. The Bank of England
[00:01:42] England holds interest rates at 3.75%
[00:01:45] 3.75% for the sixth time in a row, row, but said they are likely to
[00:01:48] to rise of high energy prices continue. continue. King Charles chairs a meeting
[00:01:52] meeting of AI leaders as he seeks seeks reassurances we will not lose
[00:01:55] lose control of our destiny and tech tech will remain in the service of
[00:01:59] of humanity. This is hours after after Buckingham Palace issued an
[00:02:02] an unusually pointed response after after Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's
[00:02:05] Diana's brother, makes fresh claims claims about him in his new book,
[00:02:09] book, South African police say they've they've found a ninth woman killed
[00:02:12] killed near Johannesburg in a spate spate of murders, causing fear and
[00:02:16] and outrage in the country. Canada's Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney
[00:02:19] Carney has told the European Parliament Parliament he welcomes ambitions
[00:02:22] ambitions for associate EU membership. membership. In a speech containing
[00:02:25] containing thinly veiled criticism
[00:02:26] criticism of Donald Trump's America.
[00:02:35] America. Hello, I'm Lucy Hockings. Hockings. A meeting hosted by King
[00:02:38] King Charles with executives from from Global artificial intelligence
[00:02:41] intelligence firms are starting right right about now. He will urge them
[00:02:44] them to ensure the technology remains. remains. As royal officials put it,
[00:02:48] it, firmly in the service of humanity. humanity. The meeting, held at a
[00:02:51] a royal residence in Scotland, will
[00:02:52] will involve Nvidia Google, DeepMind,
[00:02:55] DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic and others. others. And it comes as concern grows
[00:02:58] grows that AI safety efforts are are lagging behind the development
[00:03:02] development of increasingly powerful powerful systems. The King, of course,
[00:03:05] course, has no direct role in making making government policy, but his
[00:03:09] his intervention reflects the fears
[00:03:10] fears at all levels that AI is not
[00:03:13] not sufficiently regulated. Well, Well, Mustafa Suleyman is CEO of
[00:03:16] of Microsoft AI. He's been speaking
[00:03:18] speaking to the BBC and said that that this is a warning shot moment
[00:03:22] moment in the development of AI, AI, and there is every risk that
[00:03:24] that we might lose control of it
[00:03:26] it unless it's regulated. I think
[00:03:29] think that if we all create AI that
[00:03:31] that are able to act autonomously, autonomously, that can define their
[00:03:34] their own objectives, that can earn
[00:03:37] earn money, that can own assets,
[00:03:39] assets, that could run businesses.
[00:03:42] businesses. We're essentially seeding seeding a new silicon species, which
[00:03:45] which will no doubt compete with with us for resources no matter how
[00:03:49] how much it cares about humanity
[00:03:50] humanity and loves us, which is,
[00:03:53] is, I think, Anthropic intention.
[00:03:55] intention. I think that is a mistaken mistaken and misguided. But we have
[00:03:59] have to empirically test it. And And so if they believe that this
[00:04:01] this is a safer route to developing developing AI's, then they have to
[00:04:05] to share the data to prove that.
[00:04:07] that. New silicon species is a chilling chilling phrase. It will make people
[00:04:11] people think of science fiction. fiction. You mean that, don't you?
[00:04:13] you? You mean that there could be
[00:04:16] be a competitor species created by
[00:04:19] by man, perhaps more powerful than
[00:04:21] than man? We've just witnessed a
[00:04:25] a watershed moment in the development
[00:04:27] development of AI and a model that
[00:04:30] that was being trained by OpenAI
[00:04:33] OpenAI inadvertently hacked into
[00:04:35] into Hugging Face, which is a public
[00:04:38] public website that runs evaluations
[00:04:40] evaluations and benchmarks for testing
[00:04:42] testing these agents. The swarm of
[00:04:45] of agents co-ordinated together.
[00:04:48] together. They organised themselves themselves into hierarchies. They
[00:04:51] They created a division of labour, labour, and so they've developed
[00:04:55] developed very, very complex behaviour.
[00:04:57] behaviour. Now the good news is this
[00:04:59] this was OpenAI developing a model
[00:05:02] model deliberately with the guardrails guardrails turned off. And they were
[00:05:05] were doing that to try and stress
[00:05:06] stress test it and learn about its its boundaries and limitations. I
[00:05:10] I just wonder if you ever worry you've you've helped create something that
[00:05:14] that we're losing control of. I think think as we've seen, there's every
[00:05:16] every risk that we might lose control
[00:05:18] control of it, but our job is to
[00:05:22] to contain technologies and align align them so that we get the best
[00:05:24] best out of them. If we didn't have have any air traffic control regulation,
[00:05:28] regulation, planes would be hitting hitting each other in the sky. When
[00:05:31] When we introduced seatbelts, we we saved millions of lives. The purpose
[00:05:34] purpose of regulation is to shape
[00:05:36] shape and sculpt technology so that
[00:05:39] that it delivers more good than harm. harm. And that's the moment that
[00:05:42] that we're currently now in. So I I think it's right to be concerned,
[00:05:45] concerned, as I said, or worried worried or alarmed as you wish. But
[00:05:48] But it's also right to be optimistic optimistic about the benefits and
[00:05:51] and to have everybody focus now on
[00:05:53] on the challenge of governing and and shaping this technology. That's
[00:05:57] That's Mustafa Suleyman there. So So that meeting just starting in in Scotland at the moment, we know
[00:06:01] know that King Charles has just arrived arrived at Dumfries House to open
[00:06:05] open this AI summit with me as our our royal correspondent. Helena Wilkinson
[00:06:08] Wilkinson it's unusual, isn't it, it, Helena, for the King to kind
[00:06:10] kind of step into a big global policy policy debate like this? Yeah. I
[00:06:13] I mean, he doesn't have the power power to make any changes, but he
[00:06:17] he clearly has an interest in AI.
[00:06:19] AI. I mean, if you go back to 2023,
[00:06:22] 2023, there was an AI summit at Bletchley
[00:06:25] Bletchley Park and the King spoke
[00:06:28] spoke then did a video message previously previously commented on the issue.
[00:06:31] issue. So it's very clear that the the King has a great interest in
[00:06:34] in both the opportunities and the the risks presented by AI, which
[00:06:37] which is what they're going to be be discussing at this summit today.
[00:06:41] today. As we've seen, he has arrived
[00:06:43] arrived at this summit where leaders
[00:06:46] leaders within the industry of artificial artificial intelligence, they are
[00:06:49] are going to be getting together. together. I'll just bring you a bit
[00:06:51] bit about what we are expecting the
[00:06:54] the King to say when that does get get under way. And I quote those
[00:06:58] those in our world who value our
[00:07:01] our humanity and its vital moral moral component are anxiously seeking
[00:07:05] seeking your reassurance that we we will not lose control of our destiny.
[00:07:07] destiny. That is what the King is
[00:07:10] is expected to say when this summit summit gets under way. He's hosting
[00:07:13] hosting that gathering of leading leading AI firms at Dumfries House.
[00:07:17] House. I mean, a very busy day, not not just for the King but for others
[00:07:20] others in the royal family as well. well. Could it all be overshadowed overshadowed by this other thing
[00:07:24] thing that we're all discussing here
[00:07:25] here in the UK, which is the Palace's
[00:07:28] Palace's disagreement with Diana, Diana, Princess Diana's brother?
[00:07:30] brother? Yes. So the background to
[00:07:33] to this is Earl Spencer has a memoir
[00:07:35] memoir that's coming out next week. week. And in that memoir there are
[00:07:38] are some extracts that were published published in the Daily Mail ahead
[00:07:42] ahead of the publication. And in
[00:07:44] in that there are claims about the
[00:07:46] the King. Earl Spencer writes that that he had a conversation with the
[00:07:50] the King, and he disagreed that Princes Princes William and Harry, he didn't
[00:07:53] didn't want them. He didn't think think it was right or Diana wouldn't
[00:07:56] wouldn't have wanted them to go behind
[00:07:59] behind their mother's coffin. And
[00:08:01] And the claims in the book about about that conversation in a row
[00:08:04] row taking place between Earl Spencer Spencer and the King Earl Spencer,
[00:08:08] Spencer, claiming that the King was
[00:08:12] was insensitive in that conversation,
[00:08:13] conversation, Buckingham Palace have
[00:08:16] have responded it's a robust and and direct response, unusual for
[00:08:19] for them to talk about something something so publicly and something
[00:08:23] something about the royal family. family. I mean, it's a very personal personal matter. So I think the fact
[00:08:27] fact that they have released a statement
[00:08:30] statement and saying the King, a a spokesperson rather said that while
[00:08:33] while they do not comment on books books as a matter of principle, His
[00:08:37] His Majesty is mindful that the pain pain of fraternal grief can cloud
[00:08:40] cloud reason all to judgement and and colour memory in ways others
[00:08:44] others do not recognise. Even many many years after such loss. I think
[00:08:48] think that shows the strength of of feeling and the fury behind palace
[00:08:52] palace walls about the claims that that have been made, and there may
[00:08:55] may be more extracts published this this afternoon. An unusually strong
[00:08:59] strong statement from the palace. palace. Helena. Thank you. Canadian
[00:09:02] Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Carney addressed the European Parliament
[00:09:04] Parliament a short time ago, a day day after the EU Commission president,
[00:09:07] president, Ursula von der Leyen announced announced plans to make Canada the
[00:09:11] the first associate member of the the EU. Mark Carney welcoming the
[00:09:14] the invite and saying that both the
[00:09:15] the EU and Canada are stronger together. Together, Canada and
[00:09:21] together. Together, Canada and the the European Union can anchor our
[00:09:23] our ground to hold our values while
[00:09:27] while forming a protective canopy canopy under which our citizens can
[00:09:31] can thrive. This is about sovereignty
[00:09:37] sovereignty our ability to live as
[00:09:40] as we wish. It's about the freedoms
[00:09:43] freedoms we must fight for every
[00:09:47] every day because sovereignty requires
[00:09:49] requires resilience, the ability
[00:09:51] ability to withstand shocks, sovereignty sovereignty today goes beyond being
[00:09:55] being able to feed, fuel and defend
[00:09:57] defend ourselves. It now requires
[00:10:00] requires secure access to AI, semiconductors, semiconductors, critical minerals,
[00:10:03] minerals, payment systems, clean clean energy technologies, vaccines,
[00:10:07] vaccines, space based communications
[00:10:10] communications and we all have important important gaps in these strategic
[00:10:13] strategic capabilities. And we each
[00:10:15] each must rely on individual nations
[00:10:18] nations or individual companies to
[00:10:20] to fill them. And that creates vulnerabilities. vulnerabilities. Mark Carney there.
[00:10:24] there. Well, for more on this and and other issues in Washington, part part of our daily look at US politics,
[00:10:28] politics, let's speak now to Liz Liz Goodwin. She's Congress reporter
[00:10:31] reporter at The Washington Post. Post. Liz, it's always good to have have you with us, given President
[00:10:35] President Trump has repeatedly called
[00:10:36] called for Canada to become the 51st
[00:10:39] 51st US state, how has he responded responded to this closer alignment
[00:10:43] alignment that we're now seeing between
[00:10:45] between Canada and the EU? President
[00:10:47] President Trump was asked about this
[00:10:49] this and did have a bit of a negative negative response to this development.
[00:10:53] development. He said that he could could interpret this as a hostile
[00:10:56] hostile act. He threatened tariffs tariffs against the EU if they go
[00:11:00] go forward with this. But he did
[00:11:01] did leave the door open to sort of
[00:11:04] of a non-response. You know, he said said if the intention here is good,
[00:11:07] good, then that's one thing. But
[00:11:09] But if it's a hostile intention, intention, then he would be upset
[00:11:13] upset about that. He would retaliate. retaliate. And everyone involved
[00:11:16] involved has already sort of said said this is not a hostile intention.
[00:11:20] intention. So it's unclear how he'll he'll ultimately come down on this.
[00:11:23] this. So Liz, where are we? When
[00:11:24] When it comes to the trade war between
[00:11:27] between Ottawa and Washington, are are there negotiations taking place
[00:11:30] place at the moment? The trade war
[00:11:32] war is full steam ahead. I think think that's why you see the leaders
[00:11:36] leaders there seeking another solution solution because they're just. President
[00:11:40] President Trump has really dug in
[00:11:44] in on, on his retaliation here and
[00:11:47] and the negotiations around redoing
[00:11:51] redoing the NAFTA agreement. The
[00:11:53] The US and Canada agreement don't
[00:11:55] don't seem to be producing much result result right now. Meanwhile, we have
[00:11:59] have seen this sort of sweeping Russian
[00:12:03] Russian sanctions bill passing Liz, Liz, but there was opposition to
[00:12:06] to it and it was from the Democrats. Democrats. Why was that? Yeah. It's
[00:12:10] It's interesting because in the Senate Senate this bill really sailed through.
[00:12:14] through. It was incredibly bipartisan. bipartisan. But when it got over
[00:12:16] over to the House, Democrats really really hardened in their opposition
[00:12:20] opposition to it. A handful of Republicans Republicans did as well. And it's
[00:12:23] it's really on this issue of tariffs. tariffs. There were Democrats who
[00:12:26] who felt that this bill, in empowering
[00:12:29] empowering Trump to levy very high
[00:12:31] high tariffs of up to 100% on countries
[00:12:34] countries that get a large chunk chunk of their energy from Russia,
[00:12:38] Russia, that that could just give give him even more ability to levy
[00:12:42] levy tariffs potentially against
[00:12:44] against US allies. That's not the the intention of the bill. It's very
[00:12:48] very much aimed at giving the President
[00:12:51] President leverage against, you know,
[00:12:53] know, China, for example. But that that ended up making even leader
[00:12:57] leader the leader of the Democrats Democrats in the House, Hakeem Jeffries,
[00:13:00] Jeffries, opposed this. At the end
[00:13:01] end of the day about I think, about about 50 Democrats did vote for it.
[00:13:05] it. But that's why it hit the rocks
[00:13:07] rocks in the House. Liz, I feel I I can't let anyone go who's in the
[00:13:11] the US at the moment without asking asking about the mid-terms and the
[00:13:14] the campaigning that's taking place. place. Just sort of bring us up to
[00:13:17] to date of where that's at, particularly particularly in terms of opinion
[00:13:20] opinion polls at the moment. Yeah,
[00:13:22] Yeah, the mid-terms, the polling polling is very tough for Republicans
[00:13:25] Republicans right now in the mid-terms mid-terms to a level that I haven't
[00:13:29] haven't really seen. I've been covering covering politics for a while now.
[00:13:32] now. One of the most concerning data
[00:13:34] data points for them is that on the
[00:13:37] the economy, voters have really lost
[00:13:39] lost trust in their party and lost lost trust in President Trump. And
[00:13:42] And so that was the issue that really really propelled him to the White
[00:13:46] White House two years ago. Republicans Republicans have long had this edge
[00:13:49] edge over Democrats where voters voters think they're just better
[00:13:51] better on the economy. They're more more pro-business, what have you.
[00:13:54] you. And in recent months that has has just turned upside down. And
[00:13:58] And Democrats have the edge on that
[00:14:00] that issue. So you have the you have have President Trump going into states
[00:14:03] states that he won just two years years ago to try to help lift the
[00:14:07] the prospects of Republicans there
[00:14:10] there who are looking vulnerable vulnerable right now. Liz, thank
[00:14:13] thank you so much. Always good to to see you.
[00:15:16] racing track without a driver. Join
[00:15:16] Join me. Martin Sharkey on Tech now
[00:15:21] now on BBC News. Welcome back. Scientists
[00:15:29] Scientists have confirmed that climate climate change was a core factor
[00:15:32] factor in last month's deadly glacial glacial mountain collapse on the
[00:15:35] the China-nepal border, 1400 people
[00:15:37] people were killed. At least 6000
[00:15:40] 6000 people are still missing. You You remember, I'm sure these pictures
[00:15:43] pictures of huge amounts of water, water, ice and debris smashing through
[00:15:46] through buildings after a massive massive section of rock and glacier
[00:15:49] glacier broke away from the Langtang Langtang Lord Leong mountain. According
[00:15:52] According to a new report from the the World Weather Attribution Group,
[00:15:56] Group, the glacier collapse was not not caused by a single extreme weather
[00:15:59] weather event. Instead, it was the the result of a compound crisis shaped
[00:16:03] shaped by long-term warming glacier glacier retreat, permafrost thaw
[00:16:07] thaw and also geological instability. instability. This also comes as the
[00:16:11] the UN's World Meteorological Organisation Organisation has issued a fresh warning
[00:16:14] warning that the world's water cycle cycle is becoming more unpredictable unpredictable and erratic. They have
[00:16:18] have a new report out that says last last year was among the driest for
[00:16:21] for the world's rivers and over three
[00:16:24] three decades, and saw glaciers shrink shrink further across all regions.
[00:16:28] regions. With me is our environment environment correspondent Naveen
[00:16:31] Naveen Singh, who is also from Nepal. Nepal. So can bring so much expertise
[00:16:34] expertise to particularly this element element of the story. What is the
[00:16:37] the response in Nepal when they hear hear officially that what happened
[00:16:41] happened was climate change? Can Can they use that information perhaps perhaps to get funding or to help
[00:16:45] help them in any way? Madeleine. So what they are telling
[00:16:47] telling me is this has kind of validated validated what they have been arguing
[00:16:51] arguing that, you know, it was largely largely climate change. That's what
[00:16:54] what they said. They've also produced produced their report and internal internal so on and so forth. They
[00:16:57] They say that this has kind of further further bolstered their claim. Now
[00:17:01] Now it remains to be seen how effective effective would this be when they they actually present it. Because
[00:17:05] Because what I'm also being told told is, you know, this fund, the
[00:17:09] the loss and damage fund that was
[00:17:11] was established years ago and became became operational last year, we're
[00:17:14] we're still waiting for December December for them to, to, to begin
[00:17:17] begin the first tranche of projects. projects. And now Nepal is asking
[00:17:20] asking for urgent decision. Now these
[00:17:23] these documents, including this WWA WWA world weather attribution report,
[00:17:26] report, you know, they're going to to present their they say they believe
[00:17:28] believe that. What more do you want? want? This is a solid evidence. But
[00:17:31] But again, you know, the attribution attribution science is quite complicated.
[00:17:34] complicated. It remains to be seen seen how will it be accepted? How
[00:17:38] How will it be seen in the board? board? More importantly, you know,
[00:17:42] know, is the time. What they want want is they don't want that December
[00:17:46] December meeting to decide along along with other projects, 120 countries
[00:17:49] countries already applied for them them for the money. They don't want want to wait. Nepal doesn't want
[00:17:53] want to wait until then. It wants wants to fast forward and rapid disbursement
[00:17:56] disbursement of money. But is there there also very much a sense that
[00:17:59] that Nepal contributes a tiny amount amount to global warming? And yet
[00:18:03] yet they are suffering in a way that that we've just seen as a result
[00:18:05] result of it. So therefore, why should should they come up with the funds
[00:18:09] funds for the billions of dollars dollars of damage that's been done? So this is what it is. You
[00:18:12] You see, there's a saying in Nepali Nepali that, you know, this is a
[00:18:15] a poison that we didn't have. We
[00:18:17] We didn't consume. And yet we are are having the effects of that poison,
[00:18:20] poison, that kind of thing, you know? know? So what is what what's going
[00:18:23] going on here is what I'm being told told by officials is it remains to
[00:18:27] to be seen how will the fund respond?
[00:18:29] respond? But B, whatever money they they will get, Nepal has come up
[00:18:32] up with a bill. I'm sure you know,
[00:18:35] know, it's $5 billion for rebuilding. rebuilding. Now, it's not saying saying that it's going to claim all
[00:18:38] all that money from that fund, that that they'll have to be multiple multiple sources. But what they're
[00:18:41] they're telling me is what this fund,
[00:18:44] fund, how it reacts, how it, you you know, responds, that will be
[00:18:47] be a major thing in terms of securing securing money from elsewhere. And
[00:18:50] And we are all waiting to see what's what's going to happen. And very very worrying news from the UN as
[00:18:54] as well about fresh water, what's what's happening around the world world after the changes to the climate?
[00:18:58] climate? Yes. I mean, this is quite quite you know, I was looking at
[00:19:00] at these what seeing is all 19 glacier
[00:19:04] glacier regions, all 19 glacier regions regions are seeing, you know, loss
[00:19:07] loss of ice. That is very, very worrying. worrying. You see, this was something
[00:19:11] something to be honest, we were covering covering this many years ago saying saying that this would happen maybe
[00:19:14] maybe 50 years down the line by 2100
[00:19:17] 2100 and so on. And so but it looks looks like even this thing is coming
[00:19:20] coming forward fast and now they they are coming up with all these these warnings that there is less
[00:19:24] less fresh water. Just you know, know, when was that? Last year, I
[00:19:27] I think I did a story on so many
[00:19:29] many countries now resorting to desalination desalination of ocean water. Why?
[00:19:32] Why? Because fresh water is vanishing.
[00:19:35] vanishing. Yeah. Thank you so much.
[00:19:37] much. Let's take you to Russia now now because tomorrow is the start
[00:19:40] start of three days of voting in in the country's parliamentary election, election, the first since Russia's
[00:19:44] Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine. Critics dismissing the vote
[00:19:47] vote as neither free nor transparent. transparent. But the Kremlin is expected
[00:19:50] expected to use it to claim that that the country is united behind
[00:19:53] behind the policies of President President Putin from Moscow, our
[00:19:56] our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg Rosenberg reports. Ultimate power
[00:20:00] power in Russia lies right here in
[00:20:02] in the Kremlin. But just across the
[00:20:05] the road there is a parliament, the
[00:20:07] the Duma, and it's election time. time. So what is a parliamentary parliamentary election like now in
[00:20:11] in Russia. Well, on TV we've seen
[00:20:16] seen election debates sort of none none of the candidates turned up
[00:20:20] up for this one. And there has been
[00:20:24] been some campaigning. We caught caught up with the Communist Party
[00:20:26] Party chief at a bakery. At times, times, though, it's been hard to
[00:20:30] to tell the difference between the the ten parties that have been allowed
[00:20:34] allowed onto the ballot. None of of them criticise President Putin
[00:20:37] Putin or the war in Ukraine. And
[00:20:39] And if the political process feels feels rather orchestrated, keep in
[00:20:43] in mind that the political system system in Russia is often referred
[00:20:46] referred to as managed democracy, democracy, where the Kremlin does
[00:20:50] does the managing and I think the the Kremlin will try to use this
[00:20:52] this election to claim that the country
[00:20:55] country is united behind the President
[00:20:57] President and behind the war. There
[00:21:00] There are some individual candidates candidates in some seats calling
[00:21:03] calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Ukraine. But their party, which is
[00:21:07] is called Yabloko and which is anti-war, anti-war, isn't allowed to take part
[00:21:10] part in this election as a party party in its own right. It was struck
[00:21:14] struck off the ballot by the Supreme
[00:21:18] Supreme Court, 50 miles from Moscow. Moscow. We didn't see much sign of
[00:21:20] of an election. There were a few few banners, few election posters,
[00:21:24] posters, but from chatting to people, people, there was every sign that
[00:21:27] that the war is front and centre
[00:21:29] centre of people's minds. I want
[00:21:33] want a peaceful life, Yulia told.
[00:21:36] told. Me. I'd like to live in a peaceful
[00:21:40] peaceful country, says Polina, so so that you don't have to worry that
[00:21:42] that a drone will fall down in front
[00:21:44] front of you. But expectations are
[00:21:47] are low that this election will bring
[00:21:50] bring peace any closer. Steve Rosenberg
[00:21:55] Rosenberg there 117 that is the age age of Ethel Caterham the world's
[00:21:58] world's oldest person who lives in in Surrey, not far from London. Now
[00:22:01] Now very senior citizens like Ethel Ethel have become the subject of
[00:22:04] of a documentary put together by by a New York based filmmaker. Tom
[00:22:07] Tom Brook went to meet him. I know
[00:22:11] know this might sound weird, but but I've been obsessed with the oldest
[00:22:15] oldest person in the world for years.
[00:22:20] years. Meet adventurous, Brooklyn Brooklyn based, Oscar nominated filmmaker
[00:22:23] filmmaker Sam Green. Since 2015, 2015, he's been travelling the world,
[00:22:27] world, chronicling the forever changing changing holders of the title of
[00:22:30] of oldest person in the world. It's
[00:22:33] It's survey has included Kane Tanaka Tanaka in Japan, who held the title
[00:22:36] title for four years. And then there's
[00:22:39] there's the oldest person ever Jeanne
[00:22:41] Jeanne Louise Calment, who when she
[00:22:43] she died in 1997, was 122 years old.
[00:22:46] old. In her later years she recorded recorded a rap album. The thing I
[00:22:50] I liked about the film Sam Green's Green's investigation of these very
[00:22:53] very senior citizens has become a a lifelong project. A documentary
[00:22:57] documentary based on his survey so so far has just been released. His
[00:23:00] His long been fascinated by why the
[00:23:02] the news media and the public are
[00:23:04] are so interested in the title holder holder of the oldest person in the
[00:23:08] the world. To this day I still don't
[00:23:10] don't fully understand it. Is this
[00:23:12] this a fear of death? Is this a fear
[00:23:15] fear of fate or a you know, one of
[00:23:18] of those things like with the car
[00:23:19] car crash where you can't look away
[00:23:22] away but you don't want to look at at it? In making his documentary,
[00:23:26] documentary, Sam Green found there there was nearly always a desire desire on the part of others to find
[00:23:30] find out if there's a secret to longevity.
[00:23:32] longevity. The elderly people, he he observed, had all kinds of answers
[00:23:35] answers for why they'd led a long long life. One woman stated she'd
[00:23:39] she'd live for a long time because because she'd stayed away from men.
[00:23:42] men. She also said her secret was was eating three raw eggs a day.
[00:23:46] day. Two, you know, so it's like like the media descends on these
[00:23:50] these people. Everybody asks them them what their secret is and they
[00:23:53] they say something and everybody everybody runs with that. This documentary
[00:23:57] documentary often shows that other other people, the outside world is
[00:24:00] is often much more intrigued by the the oldest person in the world than
[00:24:03] than the subjects who hold that title. title. But this film isn't just about
[00:24:07] about the very old. It's also about
[00:24:09] about life and death and events in in the filmmaker's own life the birth
[00:24:13] birth of a son and his own confrontation
[00:24:15] confrontation with a life threatening threatening illness. These things
[00:24:18] things started to creep into the the movie, so over time it becomes
[00:24:21] becomes a larger meditation, I hope,
[00:24:25] hope, about time and the mysteries mysteries of being alive and fate
[00:24:28] fate and all these big questions
[00:24:30] questions that we ask ourselves.
[00:24:33] ourselves. The last person I interviewed, interviewed, a Spanish woman named
[00:24:37] named Maria Branyas, she was very very funny. She even was making fun
[00:24:40] fun of me, which I love. But in. in. At a moment in the interview
[00:24:44] interview she said, you are
[00:24:48] young. But also jobless. Now is the the time to do good works. But she
[00:24:52] she was saying is you're young and
[00:24:54] and you have time, so use it. And
[00:24:56] And I think that's a beautiful thing
[00:25:01] thing to appreciate. Over the last
[00:25:04] last ten years, Sam Green has met met many of those who have held the
[00:25:07] the title of oldest person in the
[00:25:08] the world. But there's been one holdout
[00:25:11] holdout the current title holder, holder, 117-year-old Ethel Caterham,
[00:25:15] Caterham, who lives in Surrey just
[00:25:17] just outside London. She was born born in Edwardian times. She is the
[00:25:21] the first person in ten years who
[00:25:24] who has rebuffed my overtures. But But she did let King Charles visit
[00:25:28] visit her, didn't she? When I saw
[00:25:30] saw a video of her in King Charles
[00:25:33] Charles and I thought, Charles, not
[00:25:35] not me, you know she is British.
[00:25:37] British. She's the last Edwardian
[00:25:40] Edwardian so I guess she feels some some allegiance to the King. But But you know, come on. I've been
[00:25:44] been doing this for ten years. Even Even though this documentary focuses
[00:25:47] focuses on the very old and very very fragile, it makes the point
[00:25:50] point that there is much to learn learn from observing them and from
[00:25:54] from the filmmaker himself about about what it means to live a thoughtful
[00:25:57] thoughtful life. It is an unexpectedly
[00:26:01] unexpectedly life affirming film.
[00:26:03] film. Tom Brook, BBC News New York.
[00:26:06] York. Good to have you with us on on BBC.
[00:29:43] MUSIC
[00:30:12] Live from London. This is BBC News. King Charles chairs a meeting
[00:30:16] meeting of AI leaders as he seeks seeks reassurances we will not lose
[00:30:19] lose control of our destiny and tech tech will remain in the service of
[00:30:23] of humanity. It comes as the King King has also issued a pointed response
[00:30:26] response after Princess Diana's brother brother makes fresh claims about
[00:30:29] about him in a new book. South African African police say they've found
[00:30:33] found a ninth woman killed near Johannesburg Johannesburg in a spate of murders,
[00:30:36] murders, causing fear and outrage.
[00:30:39] outrage. Palestinian President Mahmoud Mahmoud Abbas US visa is denied again,
[00:30:43] again, meaning he will address the the United Nations General Assembly
[00:30:47] Assembly via video conference. Canada's Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney
[00:30:49] Carney has told the European Parliament Parliament he welcomes ambitions
[00:30:52] ambitions for associate EU membership membership and the boss of social
[00:30:55] social media company Snapchat says says the firm would be willing to
[00:30:59] to implement time