Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:01MUSIC
00:00:11Live from Singapore. This is BBC
00:00:16BBC News. America's central bank bank hikes interest rates for the
00:00:19the first time in three years, despite despite fierce opposition from the
00:00:22the White House. President Trump Trump lashes out at the European
00:00:25European Union over what he called called a laughable proposal to make
00:00:29make Canada the bloc's first ever ever associate member. The Pacific
00:00:32Pacific island of Fiji has declared declared a national HIV emergency,
00:00:35emergency, with one in every 60 adults adults now infected with the incurable
00:00:39incurable disease. And the Asian Asian Games kicks off in Japan over
00:00:42over the weekend. But the competition competition is already being hit
00:00:45hit with a series of complaints.
00:00:59Hello and welcome to Newsday. The US central bank has raised interest
00:01:03interest rates for the first time time in more than three years in
00:01:06in a bid to slow rising prices. The The Federal Reserve increased the
00:01:09the cost of borrowing by a quarter
00:01:11quarter of a percentage point to
00:01:13to 3.75 and 4%. And The Fed also also indicated that more rate hikes
00:01:17hikes were on the table before the the end of the year. That decision
00:01:20decision was met by a fierce reaction reaction from President Trump, who
00:01:23who took to social media to say interest interest rates in the United States
00:01:26States should be 1% or less because because we are the best credit in
00:01:30in the world by far. Our business business correspondent Samira Hussain
00:01:33Hussain has the details. By raising raising interest rates, a quarter
00:01:36quarter of a percentage point in
00:01:38in saying that inflation is the big
00:01:40big reason why the Federal Reserve Reserve did what it was expected
00:01:43expected to do. Now, The Fed also also said that, look, the US economy
00:01:46economy is growing at a pretty healthy
00:01:51healthy rate, despite geopolitical geopolitical developments. Presumably
00:01:54Presumably referring to the war with
00:01:56with Iran, which has really driven
00:01:58driven up inflation. In a press conference,
00:02:00conference, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh
00:02:02Warsh admitted look, this rate hike
00:02:04hike won't reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Hormuz. Quarter point rate hike does
00:02:07does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Hormuz. And so I wonder how you think
00:02:11think the smaller rate hikes will
00:02:13will be effective when it can't necessarily necessarily address the energy supply
00:02:16supply side of inflationary pressures.
00:02:18pressures. We cannot affect any individual individual price, whether it be oil
00:02:22oil prices, whether it be foodstuffs foodstuffs at the grocery store.
00:02:25store. But what we can do and will
00:02:27will do is ensure that any change
00:02:30change in relative prices don't broaden broaden out. So how will all of this
00:02:33this make a difference? Well, the the Federal Reserve really made it
00:02:36it clear that this is all about the
00:02:39the American consumer and specifically specifically those that are less
00:02:43less well off, that they really want
00:02:45want to try and get the cost of living living under control. And this is
00:02:48is one way that they can do that.
00:02:51that. As you mentioned, The Fed decision decision didn't go down well with
00:02:54with President Trump on North America. America. Editor Sarah Smith has more
00:02:56more from the White House. Although Although he did refrain from attacking
00:03:00attacking personally. The new chairman chairman of the Federal Reserve, Reserve, who was his own hand-picked
00:03:04hand-picked candidate for the job, job, who has now defied him by putting
00:03:07putting rates up. Donald Trump wants
00:03:09wants lower interest rates so that
00:03:12that consumers would, with credit credit cards, loans, mortgages would
00:03:15would be paying less and would feel feel better about their money, making
00:03:17making them maybe more likely to to support his Republican candidates
00:03:21candidates in the mid-term elections elections in November. He will think
00:03:23think this rate rise is a blow to to his election prospects, even though
00:03:27though it is partly his own fault fault because the rise in the oil
00:03:30oil price caused by the war in Iran Iran is one of the reasons why The
00:03:33The Fed has put rates up. And don't
00:03:35don't forget how he used to try and and bully the previous chairman of
00:03:39of The Fed into lowering rates. Jerome
00:03:41Jerome Powell. He called a total
00:03:43total loser and a moron. He even even launched a criminal investigation
00:03:47investigation into him. And then then in May, when Powell stood down,
00:03:50down, Donald Trump got to choose choose his successor, Kevin Warsh.
00:03:52Warsh. And now the guy that he's he's put into that job has not only
00:03:56only raised rates today, he's indicated indicated he might well do it again
00:03:59again before the end of the year. year. We'll bring you more reaction reaction to The Fed decision in about
00:04:03about half an hour's time on Business Business Today. In the meantime,
00:04:06meantime, President Trump says the the Iran war is, in his words, hopefully
00:04:09hopefully nearing its end, adding adding that Tehran wants to make
00:04:12make a deal. Well, hopefully we're
00:04:15we're toward the end of the war. war. They want to make a deal and
00:04:19and we'll see how that works out. out. They're very much wanting to to make. Iran is very much wanting
00:04:22wanting to make a deal. We'll see see how that works out. Mr Trump's
00:04:26Trump's comments come as US media media reports he will be meeting
00:04:29meeting Gulf leaders on the sidelines sidelines of the UN General Assembly Assembly in New York next week. The
00:04:33The meeting is expected to focus
00:04:34focus on ideas for a post-war strategy.
00:04:37strategy. In the meantime, Yemen's Yemen's Iran backed Houthi movement
00:04:40movement has denied claims by Saudi Saudi Arabia that it launched a drone
00:04:44drone attack at Mecca, the holiest holiest city in Islam. The Houthis
00:04:47Houthis have, however, claimed to to have shot down a Saudi fighter
00:04:50fighter jet over Yemen. It comes comes after the rebel group seized
00:04:53seized control of large swathes of of Yemen's Red Sea coast from Saudi
00:04:57Saudi backed pro-government forces. forces. I asked Jennifer Parker,
00:05:00Parker, the former director of operations operations in Bahrain for the Combined
00:05:04Combined Maritime Forces and what what she made of the Houthis strategy
00:05:07strategy in this conflict. Well, Well, I think, you know, the Houthis Houthis have made significant progress
00:05:11progress in the last week. Many people people have said that this is quite
00:05:14quite a surprise in terms of how how easily they've defeated the government
00:05:18government forces, especially along along the Red Sea coast. I think
00:05:21think primarily their objectives objectives are domestic. Of course, course, we know that there has been
00:05:24been a civil war in Yemen since 2014.
00:05:282014. Clearly, the ceasefire agreed agreed in 2022 isn't holding. But
00:05:31But as much as it's domestic, I also also think the holding of the Red
00:05:34Red Sea coast very much assists Iran.
00:05:37Iran. And when we think back to early early in July with a flare up with
00:05:40with Saudi Arabia started to occur, occur, a lot of that came from Saudi
00:05:44Saudi Arabia attacking Sanaa airport airport because a aircraft coming
00:05:48coming from Iran was trying to land. land. And that was a delegation that
00:05:51that had gone to Ayatollah Khamenei's Khamenei's funeral. But also, clearly,
00:05:54clearly, Houthi delegation that had had had discussions with Iran. So
00:05:56So I think this is part of a broader,
00:05:59broader, wider Middle East strategy strategy as well as the domestic domestic issues. Yeah. It's been
00:06:03been reported that the Saudis actually actually asked President Trump to
00:06:05to help with the Houthi situation, situation, but he said no. Does the
00:06:09the US have the resources in the the region to be able to get involved
00:06:13involved in that part of the
00:06:17conflict? Well, the US does have have the resources. I know there's there's been a lot made about us us current capability. They still
00:06:21still have a significant amount of of air capability in the region to
00:06:24to get involved. But remember the the US did actually attack the Houthis
00:06:28Houthis both in 2023 and in 2025. 2025. And those air campaigns seem
00:06:31seem to be largely unsuccessful because because Houthis seem to have a still
00:06:34still a significant amount of capability. capability. That said, if the Houthis
00:06:38Houthis continue to attack Saudi Saudi Arabia, I think the US will will have no choice but to become
00:06:41become involved. And coming back back to those reports of US bases
00:06:44bases being hit in the region, does does it surprise you that they seem
00:06:47seem so vulnerable? No it doesn't,
00:06:51doesn't, and that's probably the the shocking element I've served
00:06:53served there at at Bahrain. There's There's been a lot of us think tank
00:06:56tank work in the last couple of years years saying that the bases across
00:06:59across the Middle East needed to to be hardened and needed to be protected
00:07:03protected better. It looks like much much of that didn't occur, which
00:07:06which is why they were so easily easily targeted. I think there's
00:07:09there's also an element there that
00:07:11that perhaps Iran's targeting was was much more effective this time
00:07:15time than it has been previously. previously. When we saw attacks last
00:07:18last year. Part of that is certainly certainly we have some information
00:07:21information that China has helped helped with some targeting data on
00:07:24on the base in Jordan. That's potentially potentially wider as well. And Iran's
00:07:27Iran's getting access to much more more detailed targeting data than
00:07:31than they previously had. To Gaza
00:07:34Gaza next, where 21 people were killed killed in an apartment building collapse
00:07:37collapse overnight. Officials say say rescue efforts have ended after
00:07:41after search teams found 45 injured. injured. Survivors, with others thought
00:07:44thought missing now accounted for. for. The United Nations has warned warned that hundreds of other war
00:07:48war damaged buildings in Gaza are
00:07:50are at imminent risk of collapse.
00:07:52collapse. The BBC, like other international international organisations, can't
00:07:55can't report from inside Gaza. From From Jerusalem. Our international international correspondent Yogita
00:07:59Yogita Limaye sent this report. The
00:08:02The flimsy shelter of a war ravaged
00:08:05ravaged building one of hundreds
00:08:07hundreds in Gaza suddenly gave way
00:08:09way last night, killing families
00:08:12families sleeping inside. Is anyone
00:08:13anyone there? Rescuers shouted using
00:08:17using hammers, drills and their bare
00:08:19bare hands to pull people out. Heavy
00:08:22Heavy machines are in short supply. supply. There are restrictions on
00:08:26on what can be brought into Gaza.
00:08:29Gaza. Don't be scared, my child. child. Rescuers comforted six-year-old
00:08:33six-year-old Abud, who was trapped trapped next to the bodies of some
00:08:35some of his family. It took hours
00:08:38hours to lift him out. A bit earlier,
00:08:42earlier, his sister Farial, who suffered suffered a head injury, was rescued
00:08:46rescued carried here by her father father after being bandaged in hospital.
00:08:49hospital. She spoke to the BBC when
00:08:53when the building collapsed. I was
00:08:55was trapped under a wall. My grandparents grandparents died and we still can't
00:08:59can't find my mother. Farial said.
00:09:02said. Later she found out her mother
00:09:04mother had also died. Most of the
00:09:06the victims are women and children.
00:09:09children. A rescuer carried out the the body of a little girl and cried.
00:09:13cried. She had the right to live live in a humane way. Mansoor Bakrum
00:09:17Bakrum stent was right next to the
00:09:19the collapsed building. They didn't didn't have anywhere else to live.
00:09:23live. People are living in the streets
00:09:25streets and there is no space. There's
00:09:28There's no decent shelter for most
00:09:30most of Gaza's people. The destruction
00:09:32destruction caused by Israeli bombing bombing is staggering. And nearly
00:09:35nearly a year since the cease. Rebuilding
00:09:38Rebuilding has not begun. Today that's
00:09:40that's taken the lives of at least
00:09:42least 20. They said that reconstruction
00:09:45reconstruction material will enter enter Gaza and there will be rebuilding.
00:09:48rebuilding. But unfortunately my my uncle and his whole family were
00:09:52were killed without getting a safe safe place to live. These are families
00:09:55families who fled from one place
00:09:57place to another to survive. But
00:10:00But safety remains out of reach.
00:10:03reach. Yogita Limaye, BBC News in in Jerusalem. President Trump has
00:10:07has threatened to cut trade with with the European Union if it pursues
00:10:09pursues a proposal to make Canada Canada the bloc's first ever associate
00:10:13associate member. He described it it as laughable and said he would
00:10:16would view it as a hostile act. That That proposal was announced by the
00:10:20the European Commission president, president, Ursula von der Leyen, Leyen, during her state of the Union
00:10:24Union address on Tuesday. We want
00:10:26want to bring the relationship with
00:10:29with Canada to the highest level
00:10:31level possible and dear Mark, I said,
00:10:34said, we must urgently reimagine
00:10:36reimagine our partnerships. So I
00:10:38I would like to work with you on
00:10:42on opening the door for Canada to
00:10:45to being the first associate member
00:10:47member of the European Union. Those
00:10:52Those comments by the EU commissioner commissioner come as Canadian Prime Prime Minister Mark Carney says Ottawa
00:10:56Ottawa is seeking a unique alliance
00:10:58alliance with the EU as Canada's Canada's relationship with the US.
00:11:01US. United States continues to deteriorate. deteriorate. Our Europe correspondent
00:11:04correspondent Nick Beake explained explained what associate membership membership could look like for Canada.
00:11:08Canada. Well, there are a lot of of unknowns here because at the moment
00:11:11moment there's no such thing as associate associate membership for any country
00:11:14country that wants to join the European European Union. So this would be
00:11:17be something that's completely new. new. I mean, the context here is is that the Europeans have a real
00:11:21real ally in Mark Carney. He's been been side-by-side as they face pretty
00:11:25pretty similar challenges actually. actually. You mentioned President
00:11:28President Trump and his tariff wars, wars, but also both the Canadians
00:11:32Canadians have had the threat that that America would take Canada and
00:11:35and make it a 51st state. And also, also, President Trump has been talking
00:11:39talking about Greenland, hasn't he? he? Saying that he'd like to get get his hands on that that of course,
00:11:42course, being a sovereign territory territory of Denmark, which is an
00:11:45an EU member. So we don't quite know know what this would look like. This
00:11:48This associate membership, it would would probably take years for it
00:11:51it to come into existence. There's There's no such provision in EU law
00:11:54law at the moment, and all the countries
00:11:56countries currently in the club would would probably have to approve this.
00:11:59this. And all the while you've got got a waiting list of other countries, countries, particularly in the Western
00:12:03Western Balkans, who want to get get in. So it is certainly a striking
00:12:07striking political message today today from Ursula von der Leyen. Leyen. And a bilateral meeting between
00:12:11between Andy Burnham and Canadian Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Carney has taken place at the Hill
00:12:15Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool. Liverpool. The two leaders were attending
00:12:18attending the Everton Wolverhampton Wolverhampton match, which Everton Everton won 1-0. Burnham says he's
00:12:22he's been a lifelong Everton fan. fan. While Carney says his fandom
00:12:25fandom for the club grew while living living in Britain during a seven
00:12:29seven year stint as Bank of England England governor. Plenty more to
00:12:32to come here on Newsday, including including the European Union banning
00:12:36banning social media use for children children under
00:13:39to take the threat as a national national security priority? That's That's this week on Talking Business
00:13:42Business here on BBC News. You're
00:13:49You're live with BBC News. Now the the European Union has announced
00:13:52announced plans to ban social media media for children under 13 years
00:13:55years old. Officials say that under under these new proposals, known
00:13:59known as the EU Kids Act, the tech tech companies will have to prove
00:14:02prove their products are safe. 13 13 to 15 year-olds will be allowed
00:14:05allowed access limited access to to certain social media, but only
00:14:08only for an hour a day, and must must have parental supervision. And
00:14:11And many governments are following following the example of Australia Australia and planning tighter restrictions
00:14:15restrictions amid concerns over the the harmful effects of children's children's mental health. And for
00:14:19for more on this, we can speak with
00:14:20with Doctor Daniel Einstein, a clinical clinical psychologist at Macquarie
00:14:24Macquarie University who actually actually helped shape Australia's Australia's under 16 social media
00:14:27media ban. Thank you very much Doctor Doctor Einstein. Really good to be
00:14:30be able to speak to you about this this today. What is genuinely a new
00:14:33new here it does seem like the what what the EU is proposing goes above
00:14:36above and beyond what Australia had
00:14:38had planned. Oh, it's just fantastic
00:14:40fantastic Steve. Look, I am so delighted
00:14:43delighted to see president von der der Leyen announcing that the burden
00:14:46burden of proof should actually be
00:14:48be on the platforms to show that that they're beneficial. Hopefully. Hopefully. I mean, she's just flagged
00:14:52flagged it. We haven't seen the fine
00:14:54fine print yet, but that burden of
00:14:56of proof is something that Australia Australia hasn't been able to get
00:15:00get to happen yet. So so this is is the next step. Yeah. By putting
00:15:04putting the onus on the platforms platforms themselves to prove that
00:15:07that they are safe, that really is is a significant shift. Any ideas
00:15:11ideas how that could be put into
00:15:13into practice or what that would
00:15:15would look like? No. I'm interested interested to see what they say.
00:15:19say. But I have been arguing in Australia Australia that that needs to happen,
00:15:23happen, that the platforms and when when new features are announced,
00:15:25announced, for instance, just think think about the number of likes that
00:15:28that sit up next to anyone's post
00:15:31post that should be evaluated to to see how that affects people when
00:15:35when they have a look back at their their post, does it actually influence
00:15:38influence their mood, make them feel feel worse about themselves, or does
00:15:42does it make it feel better about about themselves? And on the balance
00:15:45balance of probability, what happens happens then after that? So we're
00:15:49we're actually now looking at the
00:15:51the fact that these platforms can
00:15:53can influence the way children and
00:15:55and even some adults feel about themselves. themselves. And it feeds depression,
00:15:59depression, it feeds anxiety. And
00:16:01And then also sells the solution.
00:16:04solution. So it's really important important that they're taking this this stand. And draft legislation
00:16:08legislation we understand also covers covers online games and AI chat bots
00:16:11bots as well. This is really quite quite far reaching, isn't it? It
00:16:15It is. And the one hour restriction restriction for 13 to 14 year-olds
00:16:18year-olds that's been mentioned is is extremely important. It does now
00:16:22now push the burden of proof. Oh Oh sorry. It does now push a little
00:16:25little bit of the responsibility responsibility to parents that they they are checking what's happening
00:16:29happening in that hour a day. Because Because part of what we've seen happening
00:16:33happening is social media actually
00:16:35actually affecting other children children within the child's year
00:16:38year group or peer group. So parents
00:16:41parents having some awareness of
00:16:43of what's going on will be part of
00:16:45of what this next stage entails. entails. And Doctor Einstein, thank
00:16:49thank you very much for your expertise expertise on this. Really good to to speak to you doctor. Danielle
00:16:52Danielle Einstein, clinical psychologist psychologist at Macquarie University.
00:16:55University. Now Fiji has declared declared a national emergency following
00:16:59following an alarming surge in HIV HIV cases. The Pacific island nation
00:17:02nation with fewer than a million million people, recorded more than
00:17:05than 2000 new HIV cases in 2025 as
00:17:08as a 16 fold increase from 2019. 2019. The United Nations says it's
00:17:12it's one of the sharpest increases increases of the virus globally.
00:17:15globally. 1 in 60 adults in Fiji Fiji are currently living with the
00:17:18the virus that causes Aids. Health Health officials say injectable drug
00:17:21drug use is the key driver of Fiji's Fiji's epidemic, which has now prompted
00:17:25prompted New Zealand to issue updated updated travel advisories. Well,
00:17:28Well, for more on this, we can speak speak with Doctor Dashka Bullock,
00:17:31Bullock, HIV treatment Care and Support Support Lead at the Fiji Ministry
00:17:35Ministry of Health. Doctor Dashka Dashka really good to be able to to talk to you about this today.
00:17:38today. How has it gotten so bad so
00:17:41so quickly? Thank you Steve. Thank
00:17:43Thank you for this opportunity. I I think over the years the number
00:17:47number of cases have increased and
00:17:48and we've been trying to catch up
00:17:51up on these numbers. We have expanded expanded our testing in the countries.
00:17:54countries. And so therefore, you you know, we are testing more infections
00:17:57infections that were already existing existing in the communities. But
00:17:59But now we are playing catch up with with these cases as we know that.
00:18:03that. I mean, the new cases are across
00:18:06across all the divisions in our countries, countries, our towns and cities,
00:18:09cities, even rural and maritime communities
00:18:12communities are now having to see see new cases. And this is what has
00:18:15has led to the government declaring
00:18:18declaring a national emergency, because because we need our whole of national
00:18:22national response, which is led by by the cabinet and supported across
00:18:25across all party lines. Because this this epidemic has become so widespread
00:18:29widespread that it needs every sector sector working together, not just
00:18:33just health alone. Yeah. So now that that it's been declared a national national emergency, what does that
00:18:37that mean? So this basically means
00:18:39means that we will now mobilise all
00:18:42all sectors of not just the ministries ministries in the country, but all
00:18:46all other sectors that are involved. involved. For example, we will have
00:18:50have sectors that are involved in
00:18:51in law enforcement, in education,
00:18:54education, in social services, health health and so forth to come together
00:18:58together and respond to this as a
00:19:01a whole one nation approach. And And what should we understand then
00:19:03then about how it has spread so quickly
00:19:05quickly through injectable transmission?
00:19:07transmission? Yes. So methamphetamine methamphetamine use has rapidly grown
00:19:11grown in the country and with it it comes injecting and sharing of
00:19:15of needles and syringes where we
00:19:18we know of the people who have acquired
00:19:20acquired HIV. Around half of these these new cases were linked to injecting
00:19:24injecting drug use. So, you know,
00:19:26know, HIV then moves to their partners partners and to their families. So
00:19:30So we are treating drug use as a a health issue, which includes harm
00:19:33harm reduction testing and treatment treatment taken to where people are
00:19:36are and working with community organisations
00:19:39organisations who people trust. So So again, tackling the drug problem
00:19:42problem also needs health law enforcement, enforcement, social services, education
00:19:46education and so forth. And this
00:19:48this is exactly what this emergency emergency needs. Our cabinet led
00:19:52led response. Yeah. And just tell tell us as well, I mean the numbers.
00:19:55numbers. I mean, 1 in 60 adults this
00:19:57this cuts across men and women. I
00:20:00I presume. Yes. So basically what
00:20:02what we have seen over the last five
00:20:05five years or so, we have seen that that most of the cases are concentrated
00:20:08concentrated among males. So about about 70% of the cases were among
00:20:12among males and the rest females females or are minor population among
00:20:16among the transgender population. population. However, we are seeing seeing that this gap is closing now.
00:20:20now. So we are picking up more women
00:20:22women living with HIV. Over the past past couple of years as compared
00:20:25compared to males as well. Doctor, Doctor, thanks very much for helping
00:20:29helping us understand that better. better. Doctor Bullock. HIV treatment
00:20:31treatment care and support lead at
00:20:33at the Fiji Ministry of Health. Now
00:20:36Now South Korea's government says says it will move to formally introduce
00:20:39introduce abortion pills seven years years after the Constitutional Court
00:20:42Court ruled the country's abortion abortion ban unconstitutional. The
00:20:45The government says the move is aimed aimed at protecting women's health
00:20:48health and safety and is targeting targeting the first quarter of next
00:20:52next year for the rollout. Our reporter reporter Sophie Jong is with me here
00:20:54here in studio to tell us more about about this story. Help us understand,
00:20:58understand, Sophie, what exactly exactly this will change for women women in South Korea. Yeah. Steve.
00:21:02Steve. So the important thing to
00:21:03to note here is that back in 2019, 2019, South Korea Constitutional
00:21:07Constitutional Court ruled that criminalising
00:21:10criminalising abortion is actually actually unconstitutional under South South Korean law. But since then,
00:21:14then, lawmakers never made a move move to make a legal framework in
00:21:18in place. So for years there has has been no formal system for these
00:21:21these women to have access to these these pills for women in South Korea.
00:21:25Korea. So some have said going online, online, social media, going abroad
00:21:29abroad to access these unverified unverified unapproved pills. So what
00:21:32what the government is now trying trying to do is to bring back these
00:21:35these bring and bring these pills pills into the healthcare system system so they can regulate them.
00:21:39them. So what they're suggesting suggesting now is these would be
00:21:42be available for women with pregnancies pregnancies up to nine weeks, with
00:21:46with the government targeting the the rollout for the first quarter quarter of next year. So for the
00:21:50the first two years it will be highly highly regulated. So women would
00:21:53would have to go to hospitals where where doctors would prescribe and
00:21:56and dispense them. So while the initial initial rollout will be closely monitored,
00:22:00monitored, it really is a significant significant move for South Korea
00:22:02Korea for women to have these formal
00:22:05formal access and regulated access access to abortion pills. Yeah. And And something that they have the
00:22:08the ability to choose for themselves themselves as well. Tell us a bit bit more about what the reaction
00:22:12reaction has been like in South Korea Korea then than to this. So presumably
00:22:15presumably it's quite a polarising polarising issue. Yeah, it really
00:22:18really has. The reactions have been been really widely divided. So women's
00:22:21women's rights groups have come out out and welcomed the decision, saying saying that they want the pills to
00:22:25to be approved as quickly as possible. possible. Then actually they also
00:22:29also want eventually for this to to be expanded beyond the initial
00:22:33initial nine week limit that the the government has suggested for
00:22:35for medical groups, but they have have been a bit more cautious. They
00:22:38They actually want the legal framework framework to be in place before they
00:22:41they actually roll out these drugs, drugs, saying that they need the
00:22:44the legal protection against legal legal liability that could be held
00:22:47held against for those doctors prescribing prescribing these pills and religious
00:22:51religious and anti-abortion groups groups have obviously come out and
00:22:53and said they have strongly opposed opposed this move and are arguing
00:22:56arguing that it undermines the foetal foetal or the respect for foetal
00:23:00foetal life and saying that it needs needs to be stopped right away. So
00:23:03So right now there's a very considerable considerable debate among South Korea
00:23:06Korea over how the new system would would be introduced. Yeah, and I'm I'm sure that debate will rumble
00:23:10rumble on. Thanks very much, Sophie, Sophie, for getting us across those
00:23:12those details. Sophie, our reporter.
00:23:15reporter. Now we're just days away away from the opening of the Asian
00:23:17Asian Games in Japan, where around around 17,000 athletes will take take part in the competition. But
00:23:21But leading up to the games, controversy controversy is swirling over athletes
00:23:25athletes accommodations. Many of of them are staying in wooden container container huts, which have become
00:23:29become the subject of heated criticism. criticism. Members of the South Korean
00:23:32Korean basketball team have complained complained the beds are unreasonably unreasonably small, and they've also
00:23:36also posted videos showing leaking leaking pipes and soaked floors.
00:23:39floors. Our Tokyo correspondent Kurumi Kurumi Mori has more. These Asian
00:23:42Asian Games, just to put it into into context, are even bigger than
00:23:46than the Summer Olympics. So this
00:23:48this is a huge a massive event happening
00:23:51happening in Japan. Some of the athletes athletes are saying that accommodation
00:23:54accommodation just isn't big enough. enough. Quite literally they're saying
00:23:57saying that, you know, the beds are are not big enough, especially the
00:24:00the basketball players. As you can can imagine. They're also facing
00:24:03facing leaking roofs and some flooding
00:24:05flooding in some of the areas. Japan
00:24:08Japan right now September to October October is our rainy season. It's
00:24:11It's our typhoon season in the fall.
00:24:13fall. So there's also this weather. weather. There have been complaints
00:24:17complaints about the condition of of the rooms as well as the shortages
00:24:21shortages we had last week. Several Several hundred athletes and officials
00:24:24officials briefly being evacuated evacuated from their accommodation
00:24:28accommodation after some heavy torrential torrential rain in Nagoya. So there's
00:24:31there's been a whole host of complaints,
00:24:33complaints, some people even being being stranded, like the Indian team
00:24:37team at the airport for up to 14
00:24:4014 hours waiting for their accommodation.
00:24:43accommodation. Organisers say they're they're aware of these problems and
00:24:46and these complaints, and they are are taking steps to try and improve
00:24:49improve the living conditions ahead
00:24:52ahead of the opening ceremony that that happens on Saturday. And before before we go, a quick look at some
00:24:55some other stories in the headlines. headlines. Staying with Japan, Prime
00:24:59Prime Minister Takaichi is set to to retain her market savvy Finance
00:25:02Finance Minister in a cabinet reshuffle reshuffle to be announced later today.
00:25:05today. This is the first reshuffle reshuffle since Takaichi came into
00:25:07into power last year, and she is is expected to prioritise continuity
00:25:11continuity ahead of pushing through through ambitious budget spending
00:25:14spending plans amidst Japan's unstable
00:25:16unstable financial markets. The former
00:25:19former president of the Philippines, Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has has for the first time appeared in
00:25:23in person at a court in The Hague.
00:25:25Hague. He's facing charges of crimes crimes against humanity. The 81-year-old
00:25:2981-year-old is accused of being responsible responsible for thousands of deaths
00:25:33deaths as part of what he claimed
00:25:35claimed was a war against drug dealers
00:25:38dealers and a two star Michelin starred starred restaurant in Seoul has been
00:25:41been fined for using ants as a dessert
00:25:44dessert garnish. The restaurant Evert Evert admitted in court they did
00:25:48did not know ants were not one of of the ten insect species approved
00:25:52approved for human consumption in in South Korea. I'm afraid we didn't
00:25:55didn't have any pictures to bring bring you on that one. You'll have have to imagine it for yourself.
00:25:58yourself. Business Today is coming coming your way. Next, we'll have
00:26:00have more on The Fed. See you soon.
00:27:34temperatures here with highs of 36
00:27:3536 or 37.
00:29:39its knees. So how are people coping? coping? For more coverage join me
00:29:43me James Landale here on BBC News.
00:29:48News. MUSIC
00:30:01MUSIC
00:30:03Live from Singapore now on BBC News,
00:30:10News, Business Today. The US Federal
00:30:17Federal Reserve has raised interest interest rates for the first time time in three years as it tries to
00:30:20to combat rising prices and Snap
00:30:23Snap launches new augmented reality reality glasses as it targets the the next generation of wearable technology.
00:30:27technology. We'll hear from Snap Snap CEO about the company's latest
00:30:31latest push into AR glasses. Hello
00:30:38Hello and welcome to Business Today Today with me Steve Lai. US interest interest rates have been raised for
00:30:42for the first time in more than three three years, with the Federal Reserve
00:30:46Reserve lifting its benchmark rate
00:30:48rate to between 3.75% and 4%. The
00:30:51The decision was unanimous despite despite President Donald Trump calling
00:30:53calling for rates to be cut to 1% 1% or less. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh
00:30:57Warsh says inflation remains too too high and has not