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20260920 120000 UTC
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[00:00:09] Hello. Live from London. This
[00:00:12] is BBC News. Voting is under way way in two German states as Chancellor
[00:00:16] Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces growing
[00:00:18] growing political pressure. The brother brother of Princess Diana Earl Spencer
[00:00:22] Spencer tells the BBC that there there are echoes of what happened
[00:00:24] happened to his sister in the way way the media is treating Prince
[00:00:28] Prince Harry and Meghan. It would would be really beholden on people
[00:00:31] people to learn from Diana's example. example. I'm not here to speak for
[00:00:34] for Harry and Meghan, but for anyone
[00:00:36] anyone who's being destroyed in this
[00:00:38] this way daily, it must be such a
[00:00:41] a cancerous influence in their life.
[00:00:43] life. Two people are reportedly killed
[00:00:46] killed after Ukraine carries out out large-scale drone attacks on
[00:00:49] on the Moscow region. Ed Sheeran Sheeran apologises for what he calls
[00:00:53] calls mistakes as he returns to the the stage for the first time since
[00:00:56] since rapper Macklemore was dropped
[00:00:57] dropped from his US tour over pro-Palestinian
[00:01:00] pro-Palestinian remarks. What is
[00:01:02] is happening in Gaza is a catastrophic
[00:01:06] catastrophic and unjustifiable and and disproportionate. My heart has
[00:01:09] has been broken by the scale of devastation
[00:01:11] devastation and loss of civilians
[00:01:14] civilians lives of children. Hello,
[00:01:24] Hello, I'm Lucy Grey, welcome to to the programme. Voting is under
[00:01:27] under way in two German states for for elections, which may further
[00:01:31] further weaken Friedrich Mertz's Mertz's position as chancellor. He's He's cancelled plans to attend the
[00:01:35] the UN General Assembly in New York York later this week, as speculation
[00:01:39] speculation grows about his future. future. The votes are taking place
[00:01:42] place in the capital, Berlin and and also in the Mecklenburg-Western
[00:01:45] Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania region. region. Our Berlin correspondent
[00:01:47] correspondent Jessica Parker is following
[00:01:50] following developments. Yeah, I mean, mean, it has to be said there was
[00:01:54] was a state election a couple of of weeks ago where Alternative fur
[00:01:58] fur Deutschland, a far-right party
[00:02:00] party won by a landslide. Huge international international attention on that election. election. And now lots of international
[00:02:04] international attention as well on on these two as well. And it's unusual,
[00:02:07] unusual, but you're right. It's because
[00:02:10] because there is a lot of pressure pressure now on Friedrich Merz. And
[00:02:14] And a couple of the reasons for that that is that Friedrich Merz is a
[00:02:18] a man who became chancellor 16 months
[00:02:21] months ago, and kind of part of his his plan, his promise of what he
[00:02:24] he wanted to do was counter the rise
[00:02:27] rise of Alternative fur Deutschland, Deutschland, which is a party that's that's very popular, for example,
[00:02:31] example, in the states that I'm in, in, but is also a highly controversial controversial party and sections
[00:02:34] sections of it are classed as right right wing extremist by domestic
[00:02:38] domestic intelligence, although that's that's something the AfD rejects. rejects. But Merz had sort of talked
[00:02:41] talked about trying to counter their
[00:02:44] their popularity and to get the German
[00:02:46] German economy going again. But here here we are, 16 months in that the
[00:02:50] the AfD is topping the polls nationally
[00:02:53] nationally and Germany's economy
[00:02:55] economy continues to stutter as well.
[00:02:58] well. And his personal approval ratings ratings are very low. And that has
[00:03:01] has led to questions over whether whether he is the right man to lead
[00:03:04] lead the CDU and indeed lead the the government here in Germany at
[00:03:08] at the moment, I've got to say it's it's I kind of call it, you know,
[00:03:10] know, a potential coup with no name, name, no challenger has come out
[00:03:14] out against him at the moment. In
[00:03:16] In fact, the heads of or state premiers
[00:03:19] premiers from the CDU party last last week issued a letter of support
[00:03:23] support saying it wasn't time to to talk about personnel changes and
[00:03:25] and they wanted to work to fix. I
[00:03:28] I paraphrase but fix Germany's problems problems alongside the chancellor.
[00:03:31] chancellor. But I think a lot of of people are seeing the results results of these votes. We'll get
[00:03:34] get some projected results later later today as pretty crucial for
[00:03:38] for Friedrich Merz as there are questions questions swirling over his future.
[00:03:41] future. Well, just explain to us us then how it's looking both in
[00:03:44] in Berlin and in Mecklenburg, where
[00:03:48] where you are. Yeah. So in Berlin,
[00:03:51] Berlin, the CDU is sort of tussling tussling for first place. According
[00:03:54] According to polls against the Left
[00:03:56] Left Party. Die Linke so depending depending on what happens there,
[00:03:59] there, the CDU kind of worst case case scenario for them is that they
[00:04:02] they fall out of power. If Die Linke Linke forms a coalition with other
[00:04:06] other left leaning parties and then
[00:04:10] then here in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the CDU. CDU. It's not a strong state for
[00:04:14] for them traditionally anyway, but but where they are at the moment
[00:04:17] moment is they've just been hovering
[00:04:19] hovering above the 5% threshold that that parties need to actually enter
[00:04:23] enter the parliament. And if the the CDU fell out of the parliament parliament here in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,
[00:04:27] Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, that would would be a really catastrophic result result for them, a first for the
[00:04:31] the party. So I think they're pretty pretty desperate to avoid that. But
[00:04:34] But sort of tussling for first place place here has been the AfD and the
[00:04:38] the centre left SPD, which has staged staged something of a political comeback
[00:04:41] comeback in this state as their leader leader has sort of billed herself
[00:04:45] herself Manuela Schwesig as Frau
[00:04:47] Frau gegen Blau the Woman against against blue, which is the colour
[00:04:51] colour of the Alternative fur Deutschland. Deutschland. So it looks like she's
[00:04:53] she's trying to sweep up a lot of of anti AfD votes in this state,
[00:04:57] state, which could eat into the CDU
[00:04:58] CDU support as well. Jessica Parker,
[00:05:01] Parker, the brother of Princess Diana, Diana, has told the BBC he sees echoes
[00:05:05] echoes of what happened to her in in the way that Prince Harry and
[00:05:08] and Meghan are treated by the media. media. Earl Spencer made the comments
[00:05:11] comments in an exclusive interview interview with Laura Kuenssberg, Kuenssberg, during which he also
[00:05:15] also discussed claims in his new new book about an alleged argument
[00:05:18] argument with King Charles. Following Following Diana's death, Buckingham
[00:05:21] Buckingham Palace says his recollection recollection was clouded by grief.
[00:05:24] grief. Speaking about the Duke and and Duchess of Sussex, he said although
[00:05:27] although he wasn't there to speak speak for the couple, people should
[00:05:30] should learn from Diana's example.
[00:05:33] example. Do you fear there is somehow somehow an an echo of what happened
[00:05:37] happened to Diana? You know, Harry Harry has said on many occasions
[00:05:39] occasions that he hasn't felt supported supported by the institution over
[00:05:42] over the choices that he's made with with his life. I think there's a
[00:05:45] a perception in the media that I'm
[00:05:47] I'm on Harry's side. Well, I'm on
[00:05:50] on my deceased sister's son's side, side, both of them. And if either
[00:05:54] either of them wanted anything, then then I'd be equally there for them.
[00:05:56] them. And I never get involved in
[00:05:59] in one camp or the other except as
[00:06:01] as a benign figure. I hope that's
[00:06:04] that's my role. Do you think Diana
[00:06:07] Diana would identify with the attention,
[00:06:09] attention, the focus that has been been put on them? And with Meghan,
[00:06:12] Meghan, who said she felt like she she was the most trolled person in
[00:06:15] in the world, you know, they were were here during the summer, not
[00:06:18] not so long ago. If you look at an
[00:06:21] an article in a tabloid about Diana
[00:06:25] Diana or the couple that you're mentioning, mentioning, Harry and Meghan, you
[00:06:29] you know, it's they can be really, really, really unpleasant. And I
[00:06:33] I think it would be really beholden beholden on people to learn from
[00:06:35] from Diana's example. I'm not here here to speak for Harry and Meghan,
[00:06:39] Meghan, but for anyone who's being being destroyed in this way daily,
[00:06:43] daily, it must be such a cancerous cancerous influence in their life.
[00:06:47] life. I saw it with Diana, I saw saw Diana, I mentioned it in the
[00:06:50] the eulogy, her tears of despair. despair. One of the problems with
[00:06:53] with Diana was she's very, very sensitive
[00:06:56] sensitive to criticism. And of course, course, I'm sure most of your viewers
[00:06:59] viewers now think, oh, she had this this splendid life and it was all all amazing. And she didn't. She
[00:07:03] She was so privileged and so perfect perfect in so many ways. But she
[00:07:07] she was really brought low by all all that criticism. And yeah, I suppose
[00:07:10] suppose it's a pity when I see echoes
[00:07:13] echoes of that now. Well, in response response to the claims made by Earl
[00:07:17] Earl Spencer, Buckingham Palace said said that the King was mindful that
[00:07:20] that the pain of fraternal grief grief can cloud reason, affect judgement
[00:07:24] judgement and colour memory in ways ways others do not recognise. Even
[00:07:27] Even many years after such a loss. loss. You can watch the full interview
[00:07:31] interview here on BBC News and a a special programme at 7pm BST. If
[00:07:35] If you're in the UK, it'll also be
[00:07:37] be broadcast on BBC One at 6:30pm
[00:07:40] 6:30pm and will be available on BBC
[00:07:42] BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds from 4
[00:07:45] 4 pm. The authorities in Moscow say
[00:07:47] say at least two people have been
[00:07:50] been killed and six injured in a
[00:07:52] a massive overnight Ukrainian drone drone attack on the city region.
[00:07:56] region. Posting this footage on social social media this morning, Ukraine's
[00:07:59] Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky Zelensky confirmed Kyiv had hit a
[00:08:02] a key Russian oil facility and a
[00:08:04] a logistics site in the region. The The targets, he said, represented
[00:08:08] represented billions of dollars that that sustain the war machine. The
[00:08:11] The mayor of Moscow said it was the the largest drone attack on the Russian
[00:08:14] Russian capital yet, and 450 drones
[00:08:17] drones heading for the capital have have been shot down. Russian authorities
[00:08:20] authorities accuse Ukraine of trying trying to disrupt the country's parliamentary
[00:08:24] parliamentary elections, which end end today, and claim more than 1600
[00:08:28] 1600 drones had been repelled since since yesterday. Let's speak to Steve
[00:08:32] Steve Rosenberg, our Russia editor. editor. Hello, Steve. This sounds
[00:08:35] sounds like a huge attack. Talk us
[00:08:37] us through what you know. Yes, it
[00:08:42] it does sound like a large attack.
[00:08:45] attack. Unprecedented, said Sergei Sergei Sobyanin, the Moscow mayor.
[00:08:49] mayor. And he said, as you mentioned, mentioned, he said this was an attempt attempt to disrupt the election.
[00:08:53] election. I'm standing outside a
[00:08:54] a polling station in the centre of
[00:08:57] of Moscow. Earlier today we were were at a polling station very close
[00:09:01] close to the oil refinery. The Moscow Moscow oil refinery that got struck
[00:09:05] struck and we were chatting to voters. voters. One young voter said to me
[00:09:09] me that he'd heard the explosion. explosion. He'd heard loud bangs.
[00:09:12] bangs. He said this was not a good
[00:09:14] good situation. I spoke to an older
[00:09:16] older voter who had also heard the the explosions and said he wanted
[00:09:20] wanted peace, but by peace he meant
[00:09:23] meant Ukraine's defeat. I wouldn't wouldn't say there's a big sense
[00:09:26] sense of surprise here in Moscow
[00:09:29] Moscow more a kind of quiet resignation.
[00:09:31] resignation. You know, I think four
[00:09:33] four and a half years into Russia's Russia's war on Ukraine, Muscovites
[00:09:37] Muscovites have kind of got used
[00:09:38] used to their city becoming periodically
[00:09:41] periodically a front line. Let's Let's talk to us about these elections
[00:09:44] elections a bit more then, because because I understand it's only pro-Kremlin
[00:09:47] pro-Kremlin parties that are standing
[00:09:50] standing in it. Yes, I'm sure that
[00:09:54] that if a representative of the Kremlin Kremlin was standing here, he would
[00:09:58] would say that the election is free
[00:09:59] free and fair. However, the political
[00:10:03] political process in Russia is heavily
[00:10:05] heavily controlled, tightly controlled controlled by the Kremlin, and that
[00:10:08] that goes for elections too. And
[00:10:12] And so few people are holding their their breath here regarding the results.
[00:10:15] results. The. The likelihood is that that the party of power United Russia,
[00:10:19] Russia, the party that Vladimir Putin
[00:10:22] Putin backs, will be the largest largest in Parliament. And if you
[00:10:25] you look at previous Duma's previous previous Russian parliaments, the
[00:10:28] the other parties that get into the
[00:10:30] the Parliament tend to support the
[00:10:32] the Kremlin. Major Kremlin initiatives.
[00:10:37] initiatives. And as far as the last last Parliament is concerned on the
[00:10:40] the war in Ukraine. So I think most
[00:10:42] most people are expecting that situation situation to continue. But these these elections are happening at
[00:10:46] at a very difficult time, of course, course, for the country. This is
[00:10:49] is the first election parliamentary parliamentary election to take place
[00:10:52] place since Russia's full-scale invasion
[00:10:55] invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The
[00:10:57] The economic situation is not good. good. Obviously the security situation
[00:11:01] situation is not great. You know, know, these Ukrainian drone attacks
[00:11:05] attacks are continuing. So there
[00:11:07] there is a definite sense of anxiety anxiety when you speak to Russians,
[00:11:11] Russians, not just at polling stations stations on the street. People don't
[00:11:14] don't know what's going to happen happen next. And so there is a sense
[00:11:18] sense of, you know, people are waiting waiting to see how this situation
[00:11:21] situation develops. OK. Thank you you Steve Rosenberg for us there
[00:11:24] there in Moscow. Aleema Khan, the
[00:11:27] the sister of Pakistan's jailed former former Prime Minister Imran Khan,
[00:11:31] Khan, has been arrested in Lahore. Lahore. A spokesperson for Khan's
[00:11:34] Khan's PTI party said she was arrested
[00:11:36] arrested at her house on Sunday ahead ahead of a planned protest march
[00:11:39] march by the party next week. Former Former cricketer Imran Khan has been
[00:11:43] been in prison since August 2023. 2023. He was imprisoned on several
[00:11:47] several charges, including corruption, corruption, which he says were politically
[00:11:51] politically motivated. The Houthis Houthis in Yemen say they've attacked
[00:11:55] attacked sites in the Saudi capital capital Riyadh and the Red Sea city
[00:11:58] city of Yanbu. In a TV statement, statement, the group, which is backed
[00:12:00] backed by Iran, says it launched
[00:12:02] launched missiles and drones in retaliation retaliation for Saudi warplanes striking
[00:12:06] striking Houthi positions this week. week. Earlier on Saturday, a plume
[00:12:09] plume of black smoke was seen near near the international airport in
[00:12:12] in Riyadh after reports of explosions
[00:12:14] explosions at a fuel depot. Saudi Saudi authorities have said they they intercepted and destroyed a
[00:12:18] a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh. Riyadh. Turkey says it's ready to
[00:12:22] to help under a defence pact signed
[00:12:24] signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
[00:12:27] Pakistan. Arman Mahmoudian is a research research fellow at the Global and
[00:12:30] and National Security Institute and and a non-resident scholar at the
[00:12:33] the George Washington University's University's Institute of Middle Middle East Studies. This is his
[00:12:36] his assessment of who has the upper
[00:12:38] upper hand in the Saudi Houthi conflict.
[00:12:41] conflict. I think at this point, point, at least in the absence of
[00:12:44] of any active signal from the United
[00:12:47] United States, direct engagement engagement in the conflict. The Houthis
[00:12:49] Houthis have the upper hand. Houthis Houthis have a higher threshold of
[00:12:52] of tolerance for pain. Basically, Basically, the pain that the Saudis
[00:12:56] Saudis or the sanctions inflict on on the population of Yemen is not
[00:12:59] not directly transferred to them. them. Saudis have a lesser threshold
[00:13:03] threshold for the pain. Saudis also also are dealing with economic issues.
[00:13:06] issues. There is already an instability instability in the energy market
[00:13:08] market and vis a vis the Saudis income income from it because of the war
[00:13:12] war in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. Hormuz. Houthis attack. Specifically
[00:13:15] Specifically speaking, the attack attack they made on Riyadh, which
[00:13:18] which signals their willingness to
[00:13:20] to expand the scope of the fight,
[00:13:23] fight, is going to much inflict a a much more pressure on Saudis economy.
[00:13:27] economy. So while the militarily militarily speaking Saudi obviously
[00:13:31] obviously have superiority toward toward the Houthis, but in terms
[00:13:33] terms of the threshold of the tolerance, tolerance, in terms of the time,
[00:13:36] time, the situation is not in favour favour of the Saudi unless something
[00:13:39] something change either the Americans Americans get involved further in
[00:13:43] in or the Saudis allies, Turkey and and Pakistan decide to get involved,
[00:13:47] involved, which I doubt that at this this point at least, there has always always been a debate to what extent
[00:13:50] extent Iran controls the Saudis, Saudis, whether it controls it or
[00:13:52] or not. It's hard to say that. Does
[00:13:54] Does Iran commanded or not? But definitely definitely Iran has influence over
[00:13:58] over the suitcase. Iran is at this this moment the sole sponsor of the
[00:14:02] the Houthis. Iranian have been, you you know, supplying Houthis with
[00:14:05] with the advisers, with the they they teach the they taught the suitors
[00:14:08] suitors the know how of building building missiles and projectiles.
[00:14:11] projectiles. There is an ideological ideological affiliation. There are
[00:14:14] are some rumours about financial financial assistance. So they greatly
[00:14:17] greatly have influence over this this matter and over the Houthis. Houthis. And I believe Iran actually
[00:14:21] actually is gaining a lot out of of this despite whatever role Iran
[00:14:25] Iran is playing in the, you know, know, the execution of the Houthis
[00:14:28] Houthis campaign. Arman Mahmoudian Mahmoudian let's get some of the
[00:14:31] the day's other news now. The new new school year has begun in Gaza
[00:14:34] Gaza with more than 500,000 children children returning to formal education
[00:14:38] education for the first time in nearly
[00:14:40] nearly three years, the United Nations Nations says 97% of schools in Gaza
[00:14:43] Gaza were damaged or destroyed in in fighting since the Israel-Gaza
[00:14:47] Israel-Gaza war began. Working alongside alongside UN agencies, the education
[00:14:51] education ministry has opened around around 700 education facilities,
[00:14:54] facilities, some as simple as a tent.
[00:14:57] tent. Thousands of Argentines have have marched through Buenos Aires
[00:15:00] Aires to protest against President President Javier Milei's labour policies
[00:15:04] policies and austerity cuts. Left Left wing political leaders and activists
[00:15:07] activists have called for a general
[00:15:09] general strike. Police in the Netherlands Netherlands have clashed with several
[00:15:13] several hundred far right protesters protesters in the centre of The Hague.
[00:15:16] Hague. Authorities ordered a planned planned anti-immigration demonstration
[00:15:18] demonstration be broken up after after it spiralled into violence
[00:15:21] violence as protesters were gathering gathering at a local park. Demonstrators
[00:15:25] Demonstrators threw fireworks and and projectiles at riot police and
[00:15:28] and chanted antisemitic slogans. slogans. At least 24 people were
[00:15:32] were arrested. The American footwear
[00:15:34] footwear company converse has withdrawn withdrawn an advert after criticism
[00:15:38] criticism that it evoked imagery imagery of the white supremacist
[00:15:41] supremacist group Ku Klux Klan. Social
[00:15:43] Social media users said shadows in in the photograph resembled a white
[00:15:47] white pointed hood, while a pair pair of dangling shoes was likened
[00:15:50] likened to an image of a lynching.
[00:15:55] lynching. President Trump says he'll he'll form an AI force and appoint
[00:15:59] appoint a new artificial intelligence intelligence adviser to regulate
[00:16:02] regulate the industry. Writing on on social media, he said he would
[00:16:05] would not hinder the growth of AI.
[00:16:07] AI. Warning that the US must maintain maintain its lead over China, our
[00:16:11] our correspondent Leigh Milner has has more on what's behind Mr Trump's
[00:16:14] Trump's urgency around AI. I think think a big part of it is that Trump
[00:16:18] Trump sees AI as a really important
[00:16:20] important area for both the US economy
[00:16:23] economy and also wants to do it strategically. strategically. He wants America to
[00:16:26] to stay out in front, particularly particularly when it comes to competition
[00:16:29] competition with China. And he clearly
[00:16:31] clearly feels that putting too many
[00:16:33] many restrictions on the industry industry could slow things down.
[00:16:36] down. So the emphasis is on keeping keeping investment and development
[00:16:39] development moving quickly and making
[00:16:42] making sure American companies have have the freedom, obviously, to compete.
[00:16:45] compete. But at the same time, there
[00:16:47] there are these concerns about whether
[00:16:49] whether the technology is developing developing faster than governments
[00:16:52] governments can keep up with. Researchers Researchers and technology leaders
[00:16:55] leaders are worried about the risks
[00:16:56] risks that could come with increasingly
[00:16:59] increasingly powerful AI systems. systems. They're calling for stronger
[00:17:03] stronger safeguards and independent independent checks to make sure the the technology is being developed
[00:17:06] developed safely. There are concerns concerns that if AI becomes more
[00:17:10] more powerful than it could be out out of control and people could obviously
[00:17:14] obviously misuse it as well. Trump,
[00:17:17] Trump, however, has taken a different different position. He's dismissed
[00:17:21] dismissed concerns about the potential potential dangers of AI. As we've
[00:17:24] we've heard, as a hoax, and believes believes that slowing down could
[00:17:27] could hurt America's ability to compete
[00:17:29] compete with China. So at the moment,
[00:17:32] moment, there's a clear debate between between pushing ahead quickly to
[00:17:35] to maintain America's position in in AI and also making sure enough
[00:17:39] enough safety measures are in place place to make sure this technology
[00:17:42] technology develops. Leigh Milner Milner in Ed Sheeran's first concert
[00:17:46] concert since his support act, Macklemore, Macklemore, was dropped over pro-Palestinian
[00:17:50] pro-Palestinian comments, the star star has directly addressed the controversy. controversy. Speaking before his
[00:17:54] his concert in Philadelphia, the the British singer described the
[00:17:56] the situation in Gaza as catastrophic catastrophic and unjustifiable. He
[00:18:00] He said the Hamas attacks on Israel
[00:18:03] Israel in October 2023 were horrific horrific and added that Israel's
[00:18:06] Israel's response since then had had been disproportionate. Before
[00:18:09] Before he started singing, Sheeran Sheeran apologised to his fans for
[00:18:12] for what he called mistakes as he
[00:18:14] he handled the fallout from the controversy.
[00:18:17] controversy. Our reporter Carl Nasman Nasman was at the stadium. Ed Sheeran
[00:18:21] Sheeran is used to having the spotlight spotlight on his music. Tonight it
[00:18:24] it was squarely on his words. This This is not usually how I would open
[00:18:29] open the show, but before I play play some songs tonight, I hope it's
[00:18:32] it's OK if I say a few words. Taking
[00:18:34] Taking the stage in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, the megastar apologised
[00:18:38] apologised directly to his fans for for the recent controversy surrounding
[00:18:41] surrounding his tour. This week. week. The criticism was about something
[00:18:44] something much more important and and I've had to take and make difficult
[00:18:48] difficult decisions and I am making
[00:18:50] making mistakes and I'm so, so sorry. sorry. He also clarified where he
[00:18:54] he stands on the situation in Gaza. Gaza. What happened in Israel and
[00:18:58] and at the Nova Music Festival on
[00:19:00] on October 7th was horrific and compounded
[00:19:03] compounded centuries of Jewish pain.
[00:19:05] pain. What is happening in Gaza is
[00:19:08] is a catastrophic and unjustifiable unjustifiable and disproportionate.
[00:19:11] disproportionate. My heart has been been broken by the scale of devastation
[00:19:14] devastation and loss of civilians
[00:19:17] civilians lives, of children's lives lives and the systemic injustice
[00:19:21] injustice we're seeing unfold in in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.
[00:19:25] overlooked. Sheeran also addressed addressed the musicians not in the
[00:19:28] the room. His backing band and tour tour mates left in solidarity after
[00:19:32] after the rapper Macklemore was dropped dropped over his pro-Palestinian
[00:19:35] pro-Palestinian views. He said he he was deeply worried about venues
[00:19:39] venues pre-approving content or performers. performers. I was in some of the
[00:19:43] the front rows inside that stadium stadium as Ed Sheeran made that speech
[00:19:46] speech and this was clearly an emotional emotional moment for him, he said.
[00:19:49] said. He was worried about how he he might be perceived tonight and
[00:19:53] and he was thankful that fans came came out at all. I thought it was
[00:19:56] was beautiful that we got to witness witness him in his element, like
[00:19:59] like what he's used to being in from from the start, you know? So he started
[00:20:02] started by himself and he's just just as good by himself then with
[00:20:05] with all these extra people. So I'm I'm glad we got more Ed Sheeran than
[00:20:08] than we would have otherwise. He He stayed neutral and I think he he covered both sides nicely. I think
[00:20:12] think everyone leaves happy and a a big fan of his. Sheeran is an artist
[00:20:16] artist who likes to stay out of politics, politics, but that has become increasingly
[00:20:20] increasingly difficult. Before the
[00:20:22] the concert, dozens of pro-Palestinian pro-Palestinian protesters near the
[00:20:25] the stadium only added to the pressure. pressure. Sheeran said tonight that that he wants his concerts to be
[00:20:29] be a place where everyone is welcome,
[00:20:32] welcome, and he likely hopes now
[00:20:33] now the focus can return to his music.
[00:20:38] music. Carl Nasman, BBC News. Scotland's Scotland's efforts to tackle its
[00:20:41] its drugs deaths crisis are being being challenged by a growing influx
[00:20:44] influx of powerful synthetic drugs,
[00:20:47] drugs, experts warn. New synthetic
[00:20:49] synthetic opioids are becoming increasingly increasingly widespread, raising raising concerns that the number
[00:20:52] number of drug related deaths could could rise when the latest figures
[00:20:56] figures are published this week. week. Here's our Scotland editor,
[00:20:59] editor, James Cook. This spotless. spotless. Laboratory in Dundee seems
[00:21:03] seems a. World away from the chaotic
[00:21:05] chaotic reality of illegal drug use.
[00:21:08] use. But scientists here are racing racing against the deadly and evolving
[00:21:11] evolving threat. They're examining examining samples of seized drugs
[00:21:15] drugs to find out exactly what's what's in them. And the answers are
[00:21:18] are worrying with new substances substances emerging all the time.
[00:21:22] time. In terms of Europe, we are are seeing roughly about a drug entering
[00:21:25] entering into Europe context within within kind of every 1 to 2 weeks.
[00:21:28] weeks. Something new will arrive. arrive. I mean, it's pretty rapid rapid for us to be able to keep up
[00:21:32] up as scientists. And that must be be dangerous. Yeah, these drugs are are extremely dangerous. The illicit
[00:21:36] illicit drug supply in Scotland is is getting more and more dangerous
[00:21:38] dangerous as time goes on. They're
[00:21:41] They're particularly worried about about synthetic opioids called nitazenes,
[00:21:45] nitazenes, often hundreds of times times more potent than heroin. Criminals
[00:21:49] Criminals are mixing them with all all sorts of other substances, from
[00:21:52] from Valium style pills to powdered
[00:21:55] powdered cocaine. Last year, Police
[00:21:59] Police Scotland seized £80 million million worth of street drugs. This
[00:22:03] This year, the figure has already
[00:22:06] already reached 78 million, and we we can reveal detectives have raided
[00:22:09] raided suspected nitazenes labs in in Ayrshire and Midlothian, arresting
[00:22:13] arresting five people. This is not
[00:22:16] not just an urban problem. The rapidly
[00:22:19] rapidly changing nature of the drug drug supply is hitting rural Scotland
[00:22:22] Scotland too. We've come to the Kintyre
[00:22:25] Kintyre peninsula on the far west west of the mainland, to hear more
[00:22:29] more about what is a struggle to
[00:22:30] to save lives. There are all sorts
[00:22:33] sorts of ways to do that. This group group tries to treat trauma by helping
[00:22:37] helping former drug users reconnect reconnect with nature, but the staff
[00:22:41] staff say their job has been made made harder by the rapidly evolving
[00:22:45] evolving nature of drug supplies. supplies. Some of these substances
[00:22:48] substances are so potent that a grain
[00:22:50] grain would be enough to take somebody somebody over and to kill them and
[00:22:53] and to possibly kill them. So this this is a frightening new landscape, landscape, really. It really is.
[00:22:57] is. I mean, I think I mean, it's
[00:23:00] it's not something I normally find find myself saying, but I don't think think drugs have ever been as riskier,
[00:23:03] riskier, as dangerous as they are are now. People just never know quite quite what they're getting any more.
[00:23:07] more. And it's a terrible thing to to say. But with heroin it was better.
[00:23:10] better. The devil you knew. Quite Quite a statement and a reminder
[00:23:13] reminder of the scale of this crisis. crisis. We just want to think about
[00:23:17] about all those that we've lost through
[00:23:19] through substance use. So many lives
[00:23:22] lives lost, so much still to do to
[00:23:25] to save others. James Cook, BBC News,
[00:23:29] News, Kintyre. Milan Fashion Week
[00:23:32] Week starts on Tuesday and one model model who is there is the cover star
[00:23:35] star of the Saturday edition of the
[00:23:37] the UK's Grazia magazine. 59-year-old
[00:23:41] 59-year-old Evelyn Effrim-Botchey Effrim-Botchey is one of the new
[00:23:43] new wave of older models coming to to prominence as the fashion industry
[00:23:46] industry tries to make its catwalk catwalk more reflective of society
[00:23:50] society at large. Evelyn told us
[00:23:51] us why she decided to return to modelling.
[00:23:54] modelling. There weren't many role role models out there for women who
[00:23:58] who I resonate with. I still classed
[00:24:01] classed myself as even though I'm I'm 59, I still have a lot to give.
[00:24:05] give. I'm not ready to put on slippers
[00:24:08] slippers and sit down and say, OK,
[00:24:10] OK, my life is complete and I'm just
[00:24:12] just going to sit there and go into into my pension. I thought, oh, no,
[00:24:15] no, I've still got itchy feet. I
[00:24:18] I wanted to start a new career and
[00:24:20] and I wanted to actually find the
[00:24:23] the real me as well because I felt felt a lot of people said, oh, you
[00:24:26] you look 40, you look 45. And I said,
[00:24:29] said, OK, thank you, I take that, that, but I'm not actually 45, you
[00:24:32] you know? And I started wanting to
[00:24:35] to embrace my natural hair colour
[00:24:38] colour for a while. And I was kind kind of advised away from that to
[00:24:42] to say, oh, why would you want to to do that? You're going to be looking looking old. And I was like, well,
[00:24:46] well, I don't really agree. I just just think, yes, I am older, but
[00:24:50] but I'm not old. So I'm going to
[00:24:51] to take that step and I have and
[00:24:56] and I'm so empowered that I've done done that because I've every day,
[00:24:59] day, every morning when I look in in the mirror, I see a new me and
[00:25:02] and I really, really like that person.
[00:25:05] person. And it's exciting. It's empowering. empowering. And it's given me a lot
[00:25:08] lot of strength to go forward and
[00:25:10] and do things that yeah, that I'm,
[00:25:13] I'm, that I'm ready to do. Evelyn
[00:25:19] Evelyn Effrim-Botchey now ancient ancient Rome has met cutting edge
[00:25:22] edge technology in Croatia, the Adriatic
[00:25:25] Adriatic coastal city of Pula turned
[00:25:27] turned its 2000-year-old historic historic buildings into a canvas
[00:25:30] canvas for contemporary light art.
[00:25:32] art. So there are 16 locations across
[00:25:35] across the city used to explore themes
[00:25:38] themes of space, peace, nature and
[00:25:40] and human relations. In all, there
[00:25:43] there were 23 works featuring artists artists from countries including
[00:25:46] including Croatia, Germany, Ukraine,
[00:25:48] Ukraine, Norway and Hong Kong. That's
[00:25:53] That's all from me for now. Thanks Thanks very much for your company. company. You can get in touch on
[00:25:57] on social media at Lucy Grey and and there's plenty more on the BBC
[00:26:00] BBC website. Of course, on all of
[00:26:02] of our stories.
[00:29:54] latest news wherever you are. Business
[00:29:55] Business on BBC News. Make the connection.
[00:30:06] connection. MUSIC
[00:30:08] MUSIC
[00:30:14] These are the latest headlines from BBC News. Voting is under way
[00:30:18] way in two German states as Chancellor
[00:30:20] Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces growing
[00:30:23] growing political pressure. The brother brother of Princess Diana Earl Spencer
[00:30:26] Spencer tells the BBC that there there are echoes of what happened
[00:30:29] happened to his sister in the way way the media is treating Prince
[00:30:32] Prince Harry and Meghan. Ed Sheeran Sheeran apologises for what he calls
[00:30:36] calls mistakes as he returns to the the stage for the first time since
[00:30:39] since rapper Macklemore was dropped dropped from his US tour over pro-Palestinian
[00:30:43] pro-Palestinian remarks. Two people people are reportedly killed after
[00:30:47] after Ukraine carries out large-scale large-scale drone attacks on the
[00:30:50] the Moscow region. The capital's capital's mayor says 450 drones were
[00:30:54] were directed at the city since Saturday, Saturday, and Europe's drugs agency
[00:30:58] agency says Scotland is being