Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:12Live from London. This is BBC News. King Charles chairs a meeting
00:00:16meeting of AI leaders as he seeks seeks reassurances we will not lose
00:00:19lose control of our destiny and tech tech will remain in the service of
00:00:23of humanity. It comes as the King King has also issued a pointed response
00:00:26response after Princess Diana's brother brother makes fresh claims about
00:00:29about him in a new book. South African African police say they've found
00:00:33found a ninth woman killed near Johannesburg Johannesburg in a spate of murders,
00:00:36murders, causing fear and outrage.
00:00:39outrage. Palestinian President Mahmoud Mahmoud Abbas US visa is denied again,
00:00:43again, meaning he will address the the United Nations General Assembly
00:00:47Assembly via video conference. Canada's Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney
00:00:49Carney has told the European Parliament Parliament he welcomes ambitions
00:00:52ambitions for associate EU membership membership and the boss of social
00:00:55social media company Snapchat says says the firm would be willing to
00:00:59to implement time limits for teenagers.
00:01:10teenagers. Hello, I'm Lucy Hockings, Hockings, welcome to BBC News Now. Now. King Charles has arrived for
00:01:14for a meeting with executives from from Global artificial intelligence
00:01:17intelligence firms, where he will will urge them to ensure the technology
00:01:20technology remains. As royal officials
00:01:22officials put it, firmly in the service service of humanity. The meeting,
00:01:25meeting, held at a royal residence residence in Scotland which involves
00:01:29involves Nvidia, Google DeepMind, DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic and others.
00:01:33others. It comes as concern grows grows that AI safety efforts are
00:01:37are lagging behind the development development of increasingly powerful powerful systems. The King, of course,
00:01:41course, has no direct role in making making government policy, but his
00:01:44his intervention does reflect the
00:01:46the fears at all levels that AI is is not sufficiently regulated. And
00:01:50And in the last few minutes we've we've received this image here of
00:01:53of the King talking with Nvidia chief
00:01:56chief executive Jensen Huang. Here's Here's a bit more of what the Palace
00:02:00Palace has released ahead of today, today, saying the King will say decisions
00:02:04decisions taken at this formative formative time will shape the world
00:02:07world inherited by future generations. generations. The task before you
00:02:09you is not merely to advance technology, technology, but to ensure that it
00:02:13it firmly remains in the service service of humanity, community and
00:02:16and the natural world. Well over over the past few days, the CEOs
00:02:19CEOs of some of the largest AI companies
00:02:21companies have weighed in to calls calls for regulation, Anthropic co-founder
00:02:25co-founder Daria Amidei publicly publicly calling for a slowdown,
00:02:28slowdown, saying let's make our practices practices better. Recommit to transparency
00:02:32transparency and invest more in safety. safety. Jensen Huang of AI chip maker
00:02:36maker Nvidia, who we just saw there there with the King, said we don't
00:02:39don't need any new laws, new regulations. regulations. We just need companies
00:02:42companies to run as fast as they
00:02:44they can open AI's Sam Altman echoing echoing calls for self-regulation, self-regulation, saying that the
00:02:48the world should trust that we're we're going to do the right thing.
00:02:51thing. We feel the magnitude of this.
00:02:54this. Our AI correspondent Marc Cieslak, Cieslak, explained what the objectives
00:02:57objectives of this summit are. The The King has done this sort of thing
00:03:01thing before. You know, he has interest interest in a lot of areas and things
00:03:04things that he thinks are of critical critical public interest. He will
00:03:07will directly become involved and
00:03:09and bring together people from academia, academia, industry, government and
00:03:13and get them all around the table table to discuss what are some of
00:03:15of the biggest issues and how they they might resolve them. I've personally
00:03:18personally seen him do this with with the aviation industry. So it's
00:03:21it's very this is very, very similar similar to that he's bringing together
00:03:24together executives and people like like Jensen Huang, who's the CEO
00:03:27CEO of Nvidia, and Demis Hassabis,
00:03:29Hassabis, who founded Google DeepMind, DeepMind, Google DeepMind, bringing
00:03:33bringing them together to discuss discuss some of these really, really
00:03:36really critical critical issues for for the benefit of mankind as the
00:03:39the palace is putting it. What are are the key concerns then? Mark.
00:03:42Mark. The key concerns here really really are around safety. We've had
00:03:45had all of these stories over the the summer. AI has been in the headlines
00:03:48headlines all over the summer for for the wrong reasons about AI agents
00:03:51agents going rogue and breaking loose loose and hacking into hacking into
00:03:54into websites and things of that that nature. We've had calls for
00:03:58for slowdowns from some of the biggest biggest players in the game, CEOs
00:04:01CEOs like Dario Amadori and Sam Altman. Altman. And then we've also got sort
00:04:05sort of industry observers saying saying that these calls for slowdowns slowdowns are actually more about
00:04:09about economics. It's more about about the valuation of these companies
00:04:12companies than it is about some of of these safety issues. So it's really
00:04:15really captured a lot of people's people's imagination and it's kind kind of struck a chord across the
00:04:18the globe. But I think what a lot lot of the current discourse has,
00:04:21has, has identified is that there there is genuine, genuine concern
00:04:24concern amongst people in industry. industry. And I think in sort of
00:04:28of wider society about how safe these these technologies are. Even within
00:04:31within the industry, you get a sense sense of how surprised they are at
00:04:34at how quickly things are progressing progressing more than they ever predicted.
00:04:37predicted. I guess. Mark. So what
00:04:40what regulation is in place at the the moment, if any? Well, regulation
00:04:44regulation is a different thing across across the globe. You know, the EU
00:04:47EU has the EU AI act, which is very
00:04:49very much based on a risk based assessment.
00:04:51assessment. So certain certain categories categories of activity are determined
00:04:54determined to be more risky than than others. And as such there's
00:04:57there's a high degree of human oversight oversight in how those technologies
00:05:00technologies are employed and what what they're able to do. When we
00:05:03we look at the UK, it's a little little bit more hands off. We have have a lot of regulation in place
00:05:07place already. So we're sort of relying relying on some of the existing regulation.
00:05:11regulation. Then you get to the United United States where it changes state
00:05:13state by state, and they're extremely extremely hands off. And one of the
00:05:17the biggest issues is that all of of the big frontier AI companies, companies, most of the big frontier
00:05:21frontier AI companies are based in
00:05:24in the US. And that's where perhaps perhaps regulation should be the
00:05:27the strongest, but in reality is is perhaps the weakest. Central to
00:05:29to a lot of the messaging that you're you're hearing from some of these
00:05:32these big tech guys is you can trust trust us. We've got this in hand.
00:05:35hand. Can we trust them? Mark. You
00:05:38You might think that, but you know, know, a lot of people would say they
00:05:41they couldn't possibly comment. I I mean, the they're in this a lot
00:05:45lot a lot of these companies are
00:05:47are in this to try and develop technologies, technologies, develop these technologies
00:05:50technologies as quickly as they can can because they have enormous potential.
00:05:54potential. They have enormous potential potential to change so many aspects
00:05:56aspects of our lives. But in that that potential, there is the opportunity
00:06:00opportunity to make a lot of money. money. And if we look at the billions
00:06:04billions and hundreds of billions billions of dollars worth of investment investment that all of these companies
00:06:07companies have managed to manage manage to achieve, when you then
00:06:10then think, OK, well, when is any any of those any of those investors
00:06:12investors going to see a return on on that investment? It looks like
00:06:16like that return on investment might might be a very, very long way off.
00:06:19off. So there's a lot of competing, competing, competing narratives here
00:06:23here and a lot of competing sort sort of factors that mean trusting,
00:06:27trusting, trusting somebody who asks asks you to trust them. You have
00:06:30have to really look at their past past activities and then say, OK,
00:06:33OK, does that really instil a great great degree of confidence in me
00:06:36me that I can trust you? Marc Cieslak Cieslak there? Well. Buckingham Palace
00:06:40Palace is rejecting claims about about the King made by Princess Diana's
00:06:43Diana's brother Earl Spencer and and his new memoir in a Daily Mail
00:06:47Mail serialisation of his new book, book, due to be released next week,
00:06:50week, Charles Spencer said that after
00:06:52after the death of her sister in in 1997, the King told him that the
00:06:55the then Princess of Wales would would be forgotten soon enough. Our
00:06:59Our senior royal correspondent Daniela
00:07:01Daniela Relph reports. It is the the content of Earl Spencer's book
00:07:05book about his sister that has driven driven Buckingham Palace to issue
00:07:08issue an unusually robust response.
00:07:11response. Earl Spencer writes of of a row with the King back in 1997,
00:07:151997, when the King was Prince of of Wales after he challenged him
00:07:18him on the decision to allow Princes Princes William and Harry to walk
00:07:21walk behind their mother's coffin coffin at her funeral, something
00:07:24something he said his sister would would not have wanted. Earl Spencer
00:07:27Spencer claims the King replied angrily, angrily, saying that Diana would
00:07:31would be forgotten soon enough. The The response from Buckingham Palace,
00:07:34Palace, a sign of the fury behind
00:07:37behind palace walls. An official official spokesman said while we
00:07:41we do not comment on books as a matter
00:07:43matter of principle, His Majesty
00:07:45Majesty is mindful that the pain
00:07:48pain of fraternal grief can cloud
00:07:50cloud reason, affect judgement and
00:07:52and colour memory in ways others
00:07:54others do not recognise. Even many
00:07:56many years after such a loss. Not
00:07:59Not since the late Queen's statement statement that recollections may
00:08:02may vary after the Duke and Duchess Duchess of Sussex's interview with
00:08:05with Oprah Winfrey has a royal statement
00:08:08statement packed so much punch. It's
00:08:12It's been a challenging few weeks weeks for the Royal family, many
00:08:15many of whom will be out on official
00:08:19official duty today. As will Prince Prince Harry, who'll be in London
00:08:23London for an awards dinner for the the Invictus Games for wounded military
00:08:26military personnel. His first public
00:08:29public charity engagement since moving moving back to the UK with his wife
00:08:32wife and children. Since inception, inception, Prince Harry has been
00:08:36been a spectacular champion for the
00:08:38the Invictus Games Foundation. He's
00:08:41He's been a visionary for the Invictus Invictus Movement throughout and
00:08:45and having him closer to our HQ here
00:08:48here in London is incredible. Come
00:08:51Come on, you come on. The return return of Harry and Meghan has brought
00:08:54brought with it a degree of drama
00:08:58drama over their security. The safety safety of their children on the school
00:09:01school run and speculation over why
00:09:03why they have come back to the UK.
00:09:06UK. The return of Sussexes really
00:09:10really is shows just how much they
00:09:12they run out of road in Montecito. Montecito. And they had run out of
00:09:15of road, do you think? Totally run
00:09:16run out of road. They seemed to be
00:09:21be unable to just simply quietly, quietly, with composure, examine
00:09:24examine their options and follow
00:09:26follow a route. You know, they they
00:09:28they crash into things, you know, know, all the time. How much my husband
00:09:32husband loves bagpipes. All of these
00:09:35these engagements have been planned planned well in advance. But with with Harry and Meghan now back in
00:09:39in the UK, the days where we see see the working royals out on the
00:09:43the same day as the non-working ones
00:09:45ones will become more common. Daniela
00:09:49Daniela Relph, BBC News. Let's go
00:09:51go to South Africa now where another another body has been discovered
00:09:54discovered following a spate of killings killings of women near Johannesburg.
00:09:58Johannesburg. Nine women have been been killed over the past two months. months. Police say they're trying
00:10:01trying to work out any connections. connections. Most of the bodies have
00:10:05have been found either partially partially or fully naked. South Africa
00:10:09Africa has one of the highest rates rates of femicide in the world. Our
00:10:12Our South Africa correspondent Nomsa Nomsa Maseko has more. The woman
00:10:15woman whose body was found here earlier
00:10:17earlier is believed to be in her
00:10:19her 30s. She was found partially partially naked with her throat cut.
00:10:23cut. Police believe she was murdered murdered elsewhere and that her body
00:10:27body was deliberately dumped here here near a residential area so that
00:10:30that her body could be found. The The recent spate of killings has
00:10:34has sparked public outrage and fear, fear, raising new questions about
00:10:37about the scale of gender based violence
00:10:39violence in South Africa. Yo. I'm
00:10:42I'm scared. I'm angry. I'm upset.
00:10:44upset. I'm. I'm nervous. I'm everything.
00:10:47everything. I'm shattered. This is
00:10:51is bad in the a country where there
00:10:54there is democracy. But we experience experience we are faced with this
00:10:57this challenge of murdering women.
00:10:59women. We are parents. We are young.
00:11:01young. We. We like. We are even scared
00:11:03scared now to come out of your house. house. You are scared to go to the
00:11:07the shop. You are scared to go anywhere. anywhere. We are no longer free in in the country. We're supposed to
00:11:10to be free and to be safe as women. women. There's widespread speculation
00:11:14speculation that the recent murders murders have been committed by a
00:11:17a serial killer, but police have have not confirmed this yet. The
00:11:21The acting police commissioner has has said investigators are following
00:11:24following up on all possible leads.
00:11:27leads. It's still very early to make make any conclusions about this body
00:11:31body that has been found here. However,
00:11:34However, because we are having currently currently a multidisciplinary team
00:11:37team that was assembled already on on Sunday when the acting provincial
00:11:41provincial commissioner made a call.
00:11:42call. It was also joined by the National
00:11:47National Forensic, a investigative investigative psychology unit, so
00:11:49so that they can assist with the
00:11:51the profiling of the victims as well
00:11:54well to look at the similarities
00:11:56similarities and if there is any, any, a connection that can be made
00:12:00made on all the bodies. Women have have been urged not to walk or run
00:12:03run alone and avoid secluded spaces.
00:12:07spaces. Officials have said the warnings warnings are not about restricting
00:12:09restricting the freedom of women women to move, exercise or live their
00:12:13their lives, but that it's all about about taking reasonable precautions.
00:12:17precautions. While police continue continue with their investigations.
00:12:20investigations. Nomsa Maseko. BBC
00:12:23BBC News, Johannesburg.
00:13:24got attention and the possible awards awards contenders to have emerged. emerged. Join me Tom Brook for Talking
00:13:28Talking Movies on BBC News. The Palestinian
00:13:38Palestinian Authority has condemned condemned the US denial of a visa
00:13:41visa to President Mahmoud Abbas as as unjustified. For the second year
00:13:45year running, Washington has prevented prevented Mr Abbas and other Palestinian Palestinian officials from attending
00:13:49attending the UN General Assembly Assembly in New York. Our Middle Middle East correspondent Yolande
00:13:52Yolande Knell has more on why the
00:13:54the visa was denied. The Trump administration
00:13:58administration accuses the PA and and the PLO these two internationally
00:14:01internationally recognised bodies bodies that represent the Palestinian
00:14:05Palestinian people of glorifying glorifying terrorism, failing to
00:14:08to carry out reforms and also, in in its words, internationalising
00:14:12internationalising the conflict by by pursuing legal action against
00:14:16against Israel, particularly through through the International Criminal
00:14:19Criminal Court, the International International Court of Justice. Now
00:14:22Now the Palestinian Foreign Ministry Ministry has strongly rejected the
00:14:26the idea that pursuing Palestinian Palestinian rights through the UN
00:14:29UN and these international courts courts undermines peace. It's calling
00:14:32calling on the US to reverse this
00:14:35this decision. But that does seem
00:14:37seem unlikely. It looks like President President Abbas for the second year
00:14:40year running will be giving his address
00:14:43address to the UN General Assembly Assembly via video link. At the same
00:14:47same time, the Israeli Prime Minister, Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has
00:14:50has confirmed in recent days that that he will be travelling to New
00:14:53New York next week. He's going to to give his address in person to
00:14:57to the General Assembly. That is is despite the fact that, of course
00:15:01course he does have an international international arrest warrant from from the International Criminal Court.
00:15:05Court. He's accused of war crimes
00:15:07crimes in Gaza, which he strongly
00:15:09strongly denies. But the US and Israel
00:15:12Israel do not recognise the International International Criminal Court, and
00:15:15and the US has called that warrant warrant outrageous and biassed. The
00:15:19The UN has warned that hundreds of of war damaged buildings in Gaza
00:15:23Gaza are at imminent risk of collapse collapse after an apartment block
00:15:27block fell down yesterday. At least least 21 people were killed, including
00:15:30including eight children. Witnesses Witnesses say families with no other other shelter were living there,
00:15:34there, despite it leaning dangerously dangerously to one side after an
00:15:37an Israeli air strike last year. year. The humanitarian co-ordinator
00:15:40co-ordinator for the occupied Palestinian Palestinian territory estimates 100
00:15:43100 people, including 50 children, children, were living in the building
00:15:47building when it collapsed. We've We've been speaking to Shuroaq. She
00:15:50She is a media manager for Save the the Children in Gaza, but she lives
00:15:53lives right next door to this building
00:15:56building and shared with us her experience experience of the moment that she
00:15:59she heard it come down. This is another
00:16:02another tragedy that we are enduring.
00:16:06enduring. As you know, yesterday yesterday the building. It's a huge
00:16:10huge six storey building have been been collapsed. And this building
00:16:13building have been bombed previously previously during the war. And the
00:16:17the displaced families were living living in there due to the lack of
00:16:20of available shelter. And by doing
00:16:24doing actually we heard a very huge
00:16:28huge blast and the dust started to to fill up the rooms. And the home
00:16:31home where I'm living in along with
00:16:34with my daughter. And I thought in in the very beginning that this building
00:16:38building or the building that we we are living in, that that have
00:16:41have been targeted because of the
00:16:43the dust and the huge explosion.
00:16:45explosion. And then later on the
00:16:48the screams started to cover the
00:16:51the air screams of children, of families families of everyone like we're screaming.
00:16:54screaming. And then we found out
00:16:56out that the neighbour building have
00:17:00have been completely collapsed, destroyed
00:17:05destroyed and the experience is really really unbelievable. It is the first
00:17:09first time I live such moment. We
00:17:12We lived the explosions, the attacks, attacks, running for safety. But
00:17:16But this is the first time I live
00:17:18live to be somehow quite close to
00:17:21to such. Event and the screams were
00:17:25were I still screams are still echoing echoing in my head till this moment,
00:17:29moment, especially the screams of
00:17:30of the screams of children and people.
00:17:34people. The. The. The people living living in the neighbourhood. They
00:17:38They all rushed to help. They started
00:17:40started to search and to dig in like
00:17:43like in their bare hands. And they
00:17:47they later on some support came from
00:17:49from Civil Defence and other like
00:17:53like organisations. But unfortunately unfortunately such digging needs
00:17:56needs days. This is according to
00:17:57to the Civil Defence and the other
00:18:01other organisations because the available available equipment are not enough
00:18:04enough to deal with such a huge destruction
00:18:08destruction and because of the lack lack of the machinery that that is is because of the Israeli authorities
00:18:12authorities are still blocking such
00:18:14such machineries to enter Gaza. So
00:18:17So can I ask you that is just awful awful what you witnessed yesterday
00:18:20yesterday and what people went through. through. But people felt they had
00:18:23had no choice but to live in a building building that was dangerous. What
00:18:27What about your experience? You have have a young daughter. She's only
00:18:29only three years old. How many times
00:18:31times have you been displaced? I
00:18:34I have been displaced over ten times
00:18:37times and I've been. I lived in a a tent along with my daughter. In
00:18:40In a time I was breastfeeding her
00:18:44her and like, you know, a makeshift
00:18:45makeshift tent will never, ever protect
00:18:49protect you from the burning sun,
00:18:51sun, the extreme heat and also from
00:18:55from the wind storms or winter that
00:18:59that easily can torn up burn up your
00:19:03your tent. And for those who don't
00:19:06don't understand what it looks like,
00:19:08like, it is just make up of a nylon
00:19:13nylon fabric and the temperature
00:19:14temperature inside the tent is way
00:19:17way higher than the atmosphere outside
00:19:21outside and the living conditions
00:19:23conditions like inside it. And like like you have your entire home in
00:19:27in just in a very small place. You
00:19:30You sleep, you sit, you you work
00:19:35work everything, everything in a a very small place. And also you
00:19:38you have your kitchen and if you you are lucky, you have your bathroom
00:19:41bathroom inside. So the situation
00:19:45situation is really dire and Bible
00:19:47Bible the displaced people, they
00:19:49they actually they prefer to live
00:19:53live under a concrete roof which
00:19:57which is really let me say I can can relate to this because I was
00:20:01was really looking at that period period for a concrete roof to protect
00:20:04protect myself and my daughter because because I was afraid of the rumble rumble and the attacks around because
00:20:08because when it comes to nearby attacks,
00:20:11attacks, the such like a very small
00:20:13small tremble, can easily cross your
00:20:18your like one of your tent and injured injured those who are inside people.
00:20:21people. Actually they found the only only way just to escape this reality
00:20:25reality is just to live in a broken
00:20:27broken infrastructure. Even if this
00:20:30this is like a building is really really destroyed and it is still
00:20:33still standing. They found that living
00:20:35living in a broken structure is way
00:20:38way better than living in, in a
00:20:43tent. Shuroaq speaking to us there there from Gaza. We have some breaking breaking news to bring you now from
00:20:47from Sweden to do with the political political scene, the elections. They've
00:20:50They've just had there. The Prime Prime Minister, we understand Ulf
00:20:54Ulf Kristersson has just resigned resigned after his ruling right wing
00:20:58wing bloc was narrowly defeated by by the centre left opposition in
00:21:02in those general elections that they've they've just had. He made the announcement
00:21:05announcement on X just in the past past few minutes or so after preliminary
00:21:09preliminary votes from Sunday's election election showed about 50,000 votes
00:21:13votes separated the two blocks in in the country. About 10 million
00:21:16million people in Sweden at the moment. moment. Opposition parties led by
00:21:19by Magdalena Andersson of the Social
00:21:20Social Democrats look set to win
00:21:23win 176 seats in the parliament in
00:21:27in Sweden. And Russia. Tomorrow is
00:21:30is the start of three days of voting voting in their parliamentary elections,
00:21:34elections, the first since Russia's Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
00:21:37Ukraine. Critics have dismissed the the vote as neither free nor transparent.
00:21:40transparent. But the Kremlin is expected expected to use it to claim that
00:21:43that the country is united behind behind the policies of President
00:21:46President Putin. From Moscow, our our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg
00:21:50Rosenberg reports. Ultimate power power in Russia lies right here in
00:21:54in the Kremlin. But just across the
00:21:56the road there is a parliament, the
00:21:58the Duma, and it's election time. time. So what is a parliamentary
00:22:01parliamentary election like now in
00:22:04in Russia? Well, on TV we've seen
00:22:08seen election debates sort of none none of the candidates turned up
00:22:11up for this one. And there has been
00:22:15been some campaigning. We caught caught up with the Communist Party
00:22:18Party chief at a bakery. At times, times, though, it's been hard to
00:22:21to tell the difference between the the ten parties that have been allowed
00:22:25allowed onto the ballot. None of of them criticise President Putin
00:22:28Putin or the war in Ukraine. And
00:22:30And if the political process feels feels rather orchestrated, keep in
00:22:34in mind that the political system system in Russia is often referred
00:22:37referred to as managed democracy, democracy, where the Kremlin does
00:22:41does the managing and I think the the Kremlin will try to use this
00:22:44this election to claim that the country
00:22:46country is united behind the President
00:22:48President and behind the war. There
00:22:52There are some individual candidates candidates in some seats calling
00:22:54calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Ukraine. But their party, which is
00:22:58is called Yabloko and which is anti-war, anti-war, isn't allowed to take part
00:23:02part in the election as a party in in its own right. It was struck off
00:23:05off the ballot by the Supreme Court,
00:23:09Court, 50 miles from Moscow. We didn't didn't see much sign of an election.
00:23:12election. There were few banners, banners, few election posters. But
00:23:15But from chatting to people, there there was every sign that the war
00:23:19war is front and centre of people's
00:23:22people's minds. I want a peaceful
00:23:25peaceful life, Yulia told. Me. I'd
00:23:29I'd like to live in a peaceful country, country, says Polina, so that you
00:23:32you don't have to worry that a drone drone will fall down in front of
00:23:36of you. But expectations are low
00:23:38low that this election will bring
00:23:41bring peace any closer. Our Russia
00:23:45Russia editor Steve Rosenberg there there now it has been more than 80
00:23:4880 years since Thomas the Tank Engine Engine and his friends first appeared
00:23:51appeared in children's books before before their runaway success on screen.
00:23:55screen. Today, New adventures from from the Blue Locomotive are being
00:23:57being launched online with some fresh fresh voices. Our reporter John Maguire
00:24:01Maguire tells us more. Thomas the
00:24:03the Tank Engine has worked as Branch
00:24:05Branch Line for many years. From. The imagination of a vicar
00:24:09vicar in Birmingham trying to entertain entertain his poorly son Thomas.
00:24:12Thomas. The Tank Engine travelled travelled not just around his fictional
00:24:16fictional home, the Island of Sodor, Sodor, but around the world. The
00:24:20The bedtime stories were followed followed by Reverend Wilbert Awdry
00:24:24Awdry Books, then the BBC TV series
00:24:27series narrated famously by Sir Ringo
00:24:29Ringo Starr. Stupid Old Water Thomas
00:24:32Thomas there's no danger, there's there's no danger. Look out! Shouted
00:24:35Shouted his driver. Come back! Fire
00:24:39Fire and smoke! Said Thomas. I'm
00:24:41I'm sunk! And he. Later Thomas and
00:24:44and his friends were reborn as an
00:24:47an animation and now returned to
00:24:48to the rail line online through YouTube.
00:24:52YouTube. The new voice of the cheeky
00:24:53cheeky little engine is 13-year-old
00:24:5613-year-old Harry sparks. Let's go
00:24:58go to Knapford station. That's where
00:25:00where I'll find a big job to do.
00:25:03do. And taking over the mic as narrator
00:25:05narrator standing on the shoulders shoulders of giants including a Beatle
00:25:09Beatle and a bond is the actor Henry
00:25:11Henry Golding. And Paul Thomas was was hurtling towards it, unable to
00:25:15to start his engine. I mean Ringo Ringo Starr, what a champ. I think
00:25:19think he did it for multiple years. years. So he's still got a couple
00:25:22couple up on me. But of course an
00:25:25an absolute legend. And you've had
00:25:27had a whole host of amazing stars
00:25:30stars including Pierce Brosnan. But
00:25:34But you know, I'm in the shadow of of Giants. The characters remain
00:25:38remain hugely popular, inspiring inspiring young visitors to Thomas
00:25:42Thomas Land in Staffordshire. He He loves the trains, he loves the
00:25:45the engines, he loves the tracks,
00:25:48tracks, he loves the stories. We've We've got all the Thomas pictures
00:25:51pictures from here all around your your bedroom. And we're taking one
00:25:55one tomorrow. We're bringing one.
00:25:56one. We took one with Thomas with
00:26:00with all the coaches. And then we
00:26:01we put them all around his bedroom.
00:26:04bedroom. The new series, titled Really
00:26:07Really Helpful Engines, will, as
00:26:09as always, be underpinned by a moral moral message as young Thomas learns
00:26:13learns the ways of the world with
00:26:15with his trusty friends to keep him
00:26:17him on track. John Maguire, BBC News.
00:26:22News. Well, very familiar to me, me, I have to say. Do
00:27:54temperatures peaking into the mid
00:27:55mid 40s. Take care.
00:30:00to take the threat as a national national security priority? That's
00:30:02That's this week on Talking Business
00:30:04Business here on BBC News. Here at
00:30:12at BBC Verify, we use forensic investigative investigative techniques and tools
00:30:15tools to fact check stories, verify
00:30:17verify information and counter disinformation disinformation using data analysis analysis and the latest technology.
00:30:21technology. Our journalists examine examine the evidence and get to the
00:30:24the facts. Watch our BBC Verify reports reports on the BBC News channel or
00:30:27or go online to find out more. MUSIC
00:30:36MUSIC These These are the latest headlines from from BBC News. The Bank of England
00:30:39England holds interest rates at 3.75%
00:30:423.75% for the sixth time in a row, row, but said they're likely to rise
00:30:46rise of high energy prices continue. continue. King Charles chairs a meeting
00:30:50meeting of AI leaders as he seeks seeks reassurances we will not lose
00:30:54lose control of our destiny and that that tech will remain in the service
00:30:57service of humanity. This is hours hours after Buckingham Palace issued
00:31:00issued an unusually pointed response response after Earl Spencer, Princess
00:31:03Princess Diana's brother, makes fresh fresh claims about him in a new book.
00:31:07book. South African police say they've they've found a ninth woman killed
00:31:10killed near Johannesburg in a spate
00:31:12spate of murders, causing fear and
00:31:15and outrage in the country. Canada's Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney
00:31:17Carney has told the European Parliament Parliament he welcomes ambitions
00:31:20ambitions for associate EU membership. membership. In a speech containing
00:31:23containing thinly veiled criticism criticism of Donald Trump's America,
00:31:26America, the boss of social media media company Snapchat says the firm
00:31:29firm would be willing to implement implement time limits for teenagers
00:31:32teenagers as an important step forward
00:31:34forward for the industry. Hello,
00:31:41Hello, I'm Lucy Hockings Canadian Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
00:31:44Carney addressed the European Parliament Parliament on Thursday. It's a day
00:31:47day after the EU Commission president, president, Ursula von der Leyen,
00:31:49Leyen, announced plans to make Canada Canada the first associate member
00:31:53member of the European Union. Mark Mark Carney, welcoming the invite
00:31:56invite and said that both the EU
00:31:58EU and Canada are stronger together.
00:32:02together. Together, Canada and the the European Union can anchor our
00:32:05our ground to hold our values while
00:32:09while forming a protective canopy canopy under which our citizens can
00:32:13can thrive. This is about sovereignty
00:32:19sovereignty our ability to live as
00:32:22as we wish. It's about the freedoms
00:32:24freedoms we must fight for every
00:32:29every day because sovereignty requires requires resilience. The ability
00:32:33ability to withstand shocks, sovereignty
00:32:36sovereignty today goes beyond being being able to feed, fuel and defend
00:32:39defend ourselves. It now requires
00:32:41requires secure access to AI, semiconductors, semiconductors, critical minerals,
00:32:45minerals, payment systems, clean clean energy technologies, vaccines,
00:32:49vaccines, space based communications
00:32:52communications and we all have important important gaps in these strategic
00:32:55strategic capabilities. And we each
00:32:57each must rely on individual nations
00:33:00nations or individual companies to
00:33:02to fill them. And that creates vulnerabilities.
00:33:04vulnerabilities. Let's take you to to Washington and speak to our correspondent correspondent there, Bernd Debusmann
00:33:08Debusmann Byrne. How does President President Trump and the White House
00:33:11House view this current love in between between the EU and Canada? Well,
00:33:15Well, even if we don't know what what that EU Canada relationship
00:33:19relationship might ultimately look look like, or even when it might might be in place, this might be
00:33:22be a matter of years. President Trump Trump has made his views very clear.
00:33:25clear. He said he views this whole whole proposal as laughable, and
00:33:28and he directed much of his anger anger at the EU threatening additional
00:33:31additional tariffs or to stop trade trade in certain sectors. Now, Prime
00:33:36Prime Minister Carney notably kind kind of alluded to this in his comments
00:33:38comments earlier today, saying that that tariffs had been weaponised
00:33:41weaponised and used as a coercive coercive measure. But so far he seems
00:33:45seems kind of undeterred by President President Trump's comments. And in
00:33:47in the past he's already shown a a willingness to kind of step up,
00:33:51up, step up and go toe-to-toe with with his counterparts in Washington.
00:33:55Washington. Already, the US and Canada Canada have been in a very heated
00:33:58heated trade war as of late. So so so far, he's very undeterred by President
00:34:02President Trump's comments. But President President Trump equally as very dismissive
00:34:06dismissive of the EU Canada proposal. proposal. Yeah, we should remind
00:34:08remind everyone that the US is Canada's Canada's largest trading partner partner burned. And as you mentioned,
00:34:12mentioned, they're locked in this this quite serious trade war. Now,
00:34:16Now, are there any negotiations taking
00:34:17taking place, any progress on resolving
00:34:20resolving it? At the moment both both sides seem kind of ready to
00:34:24to dig in. And if anything, I think
00:34:26think the Canadian side. This has has made Prime Minister Carney quite
00:34:30quite popular at home. And we've we've already seen many Canadian
00:34:33Canadian businesses kind of begin begin to turn away from the United
00:34:36United States. Of course, here in in the US., President Trump wants
00:34:40wants American businesses to remain
00:34:42remain in America. But in many states,
00:34:44states, Michigan, for example, Maine, Maine, this is really having a very
00:34:48very significant impact on those
00:34:50those businesses that have cross cross business between the US and
00:34:53and Canada. And I think it's going going to become a very hot issue
00:34:56issue as we head into the mid-terms mid-terms and over the next few months,
00:35:00months, as President Trump really really starts to see the effect of
00:35:03of this in some of those very key key states such as Michigan. Yeah.
00:35:06Yeah. How is it affecting those that that are running in those states
00:35:10states given the likely to take more
00:35:11more of an economic hit if the all
00:35:14all of the restrictions come in?
00:35:17in? Well, it's certainly been something something that Democrats have kind
00:35:20kind of latched on to as a way to to attack the Trump administration
00:35:23administration and Republicans saying saying that ultimately this hurts
00:35:27hurts American businesses. On the the other hand, those Trump aligned
00:35:31aligned candidates, they see this this as something that could ultimately
00:35:34ultimately benefit Americans in Michigan,
00:35:36Michigan, for example, by bringing
00:35:39bringing much of the cross-border cross-border automobile trade back
00:35:42back to back to the United States. States. Rather, the Trump administration
00:35:45administration and his preferred preferred candidates. And many of of these states see that as something something that will ultimately create
00:35:49create jobs for Americans and have have a much longer term benefit. benefit. So you're seeing a very
00:35:53very different picture of the trade trade war painted by both sides of
00:35:56of the political spectrum here in in the US.. Thank you so much for
00:35:59for that. Let's take you to Scotland Scotland now. We've been reporting
00:36:03reporting on King Charles, who is is there at the moment. He's hosting
00:36:05hosting a lot of the giants of the
00:36:08the AI industry there talking about about the existential dangers of
00:36:11of AI falling into the wrong hands
00:36:13hands in this summit that he's hosting.
00:36:16hosting. We have just had some not
00:36:17not only pictures in of what is happening
00:36:21happening there, but also with comments
00:36:24comments that he's made. This is
00:36:26is a short excerpt of his latest
00:36:30latest comments. I am so grateful
00:36:32grateful to you all for being here
00:36:34here today. And I must say I really really particularly grateful to you
00:36:38you all for stepping away from your
00:36:41your very busy lives and making the
00:36:43the journey to this rather remote remote but uniquely special corner
00:36:47corner of Scotland at Dumfries House.
00:36:50House. And as I was trying to explain explain to Jensen Huang, this place
00:36:54place is perhaps particularly meaningful
00:36:57meaningful to me as it has become
00:37:00become something of a living laboratory laboratory for what I have referred
00:37:03referred to in a book I co-wrote
00:37:06co-wrote some 16 years ago now I
00:37:08I think as the philosophy of harmony,
00:37:11harmony, which emphasises the balance,
00:37:15balance, order and relationships relationships between ourselves and
00:37:17and the natural world. A central
00:37:20central truth to creating a future
00:37:22future in which we are a part of
00:37:25of nature, not apart from it. So
00:37:29So if Harmony has any relevance to
00:37:33to today's discussions, it is perhaps
00:37:36perhaps as a reminder that innovation
00:37:38innovation must always be considered
00:37:41considered within the wider systems
00:37:43systems upon which all depend. And
00:37:47And as you gather for what I hope
00:37:50hope you will find to be a fruitful.
00:37:54fruitful. To be fruitful. Conversations
00:37:57Conversations on the rapid development
00:37:59development of artificial intelligence.
00:38:01intelligence. I can only pray that
00:38:03that this philosophy goes some way
00:38:07way to arming you with the unique
00:38:10unique perspective needed to reconcile
00:38:12reconcile the enduring needs of humanity
00:38:17humanity with the extraordinary capabilities
00:38:19capabilities of these new technologies. technologies. So ladies, gentlemen,
00:38:22gentlemen, ladies, gentlemen, I suppose
00:38:25suppose we might readily agree that
00:38:27that the development of AI its substance
00:38:31substance and its pace are both intriguing
00:38:34intriguing and deeply concerning
00:38:35concerning in equal measure AI is
00:38:38is already showing its immense capacity
00:38:41capacity to improve and save life.
00:38:43life. For example, in the field of
00:38:46of life sciences and medicine. Yet
00:38:50Yet those who have created these
00:38:53these technologies are now increasingly increasingly warning that AI risks
00:38:56risks developing darker capacities.
00:38:59capacities. Perhaps even to take
00:39:02take life. And in this regard, if
00:39:04if I may say so, there seems urgency
00:39:08urgency in adequately considering
00:39:10considering the existential dangers dangers of such technologies falling
00:39:14falling into the wrong hands and
00:39:16and being used in potentially catastrophic
00:39:20catastrophic ways. Surely then we we need sufficient means of control
00:39:24control before it is all too late.
00:39:28late. Those in our world who value
00:39:31value deeply our humanity and its
00:39:33its vital moral component are anxiously
00:39:36anxiously seeking your reassurance reassurance that we will not lose
00:39:40lose control of our destiny or our
00:39:43our souls. So today I just wanted
00:39:45wanted to ask two simple questions. questions. Building on the message
00:39:48message I sent to the United Kingdom's
00:39:50Kingdom's AI Safety Summit in Bletchley
00:39:54Bletchley in 2023. First, how can
00:39:57can we harness the benefits of AI
00:40:00AI with safety at its heart? And
00:40:04And second, how can we build international
00:40:08international co-operation and consensus
00:40:10consensus to achieve this? So no
00:40:13no nation is left behind but the
00:40:15the human race is left in place.
00:40:18place. Now, this may sound hyperbolic.
00:40:22hyperbolic. I have long thought it
00:40:24it is just enlightened realism. So
00:40:28So while these are simple questions,
00:40:31questions, I fully realise that the
00:40:33the answers will require all the
00:40:35the intellectual excellence and crucially,
00:40:38crucially, the emotional excellence
00:40:40excellence which separates man from from machine, which is represented
00:40:44represented in this room. In other
00:40:47other words, as I've said, our humanity
00:40:50humanity must remain sacred. The
00:40:53The decision is taken at this formative
00:40:56formative time will shape the world
00:40:59world inherited by future generations. generations. And so the task before
00:41:03before you is not merely to advance
00:41:06advance a technology, but to ensure
00:41:08ensure that it remains firmly in
00:41:10in the service of humanity, community
00:41:14community and the natural world.
00:41:16world. So as we embrace what is new,
00:41:19new, we must not lose what is timeless.
00:41:23timeless. Now I can only applaud
00:41:25applaud those of you who are so deeply
00:41:29deeply committed to harnessing artificial artificial intelligence for good
00:41:33good so that we might see a future
00:41:35future where human potential remains
00:41:38remains boundless whilst technological
00:41:40technological development is carefully
00:41:42carefully curated to enhance our
00:41:45our success I. I say I really am
00:41:48am enormously grateful for the presence presence in this room of many of
00:41:51of our greatest technological minds
00:41:54minds and indeed for the thoughtful thoughtful stewardship demonstrated
00:41:58demonstrated by those gathered here
00:41:59here today. As you consider the fundamental
00:42:04fundamental principles that should should and must guide the development development of artificial intelligence
00:42:08intelligence in the years ahead I
00:42:11I can only say I very much look forward
00:42:13forward to returning to hear the
00:42:16the conclusions of your productive
00:42:19productive and I hope, harmonious harmonious discussions later on today.
00:42:22today. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
00:42:26gentlemen. Well, also there is Jensen Jensen Huang, president and CEO of
00:42:30of Nvidia and he was asked whether whether people are right to be afraid
00:42:33afraid of artificial intelligence. intelligence. Well, it's very powerful
00:42:36powerful technology. It could be be used for incredible things. Of
00:42:40Of course it could be used for ill.
00:42:41ill. And so we have to build this
00:42:44this technology safely and securely securely and responsibly and but
00:42:47but we have to do it with, if you
00:42:51you will, responsible optimism because because the impact and the benefit
00:42:54benefit is going to bring to society society is so incredible. It has
00:42:57has already done so many great things things for the UK. As you know, artificial
00:43:01artificial intelligence was created created here. It was discussed for for the first time here, you know,
00:43:05know, after the last industrial revolution, revolution, the computer industry
00:43:08industry was really birthed here,
00:43:10here, if not for the early innovators.
00:43:14innovators. And of course Turing Turing describing artificial intelligence
00:43:17intelligence for the first time,
00:43:19time, it's hard to know where we
00:43:22we would be today. And so I think think a lot of the technology was was created here. It's now being
00:43:26being taken advantage of here. There's
00:43:28There's so many start-ups that we've we've invested in. We've invested
00:43:31invested billions of dollars in UK UK start-ups because we believe in
00:43:35in the great talent here and the the great opportunity that it could
00:43:38could create. And last last that
00:43:40that I saw, it's even lifting the
00:43:43the economy. And so I'm really, really really delighted to see that. We'll
00:43:46We'll have more from the summit
00:44:49are people coping? For more coverage
00:44:50coverage join me James Landale here
00:44:54here on BBC News. Russia says it
00:45:01it hit three drone producing plants plants and overnight attacks on Kyiv
00:45:05Kyiv and the surrounding region.
00:45:06region. It says it also hit two road
00:45:09road bridges near the Dniester River, River, which it claims are used to
00:45:11to supply weapons from Romania to to Ukraine. Several people were wounded
00:45:15wounded and a Russian drone attack attack on a 19 story residential
00:45:19residential building in Odesa. And And these pictures just into us showed
00:45:22showed the extent of the damage. damage. As you can see there, the
00:45:26the Odesa Regional State Emergency Emergency Service combing through
00:45:29through the debris Fiji has declared
00:45:33declared a national emergency and and it follows an alarming surge
00:45:36surge in HIV cases. The Pacific island island nation, with fewer than a
00:45:40a million people, recorded more than
00:45:41than 2000 new HIV cases in 2025.
00:45:452025. That's a 16 fold increase from
00:45:47from 2019. 1 in 60 adults in Fiji
00:45:50Fiji are currently living with the
00:45:52the virus that causes Aids. Dr Dashika Dashika Balak is care and support
00:45:55support lead for HIV treatment at at the Fiji Ministry of Health. She
00:45:58She told the BBC how the number of of infected people has grown so quickly.
00:46:02quickly. I think over the years the the number of cases have increased
00:46:06increased and we've been trying to to catch up on these numbers. We
00:46:10We have expanded our testing in the the countries. And so therefore,
00:46:13therefore, you know, we are testing testing more infections that were
00:46:15were already existing in the communities. communities. But now we are playing
00:46:18playing catch up with these cases
00:46:20cases as we know that. I mean, the
00:46:22the new cases are across all the the divisions in our countries, our
00:46:26our towns and cities, even rural rural and maritime communities are
00:46:30are now having to see new cases.
00:46:32cases. And this is what has led to
00:46:34to the government declaring a national national emergency because we need
00:46:38need our whole of national response, response, which is led by the cabinet
00:46:42cabinet and supported across all all party lines. Because this epidemic
00:46:45epidemic has become so widespread widespread that it needs every sector
00:46:49sector working together, not just just health alone. Scientists have
00:46:53have confirmed that climate change change was a core factor in last
00:46:56last month's deadly glacial mountain mountain collapse on the China-nepal
00:46:59China-nepal border. 1400 people were
00:47:01were killed. At least 6000 people people are still missing. You'll
00:47:04You'll remember, I'm sure these pictures pictures of huge amounts of water,
00:47:08water, ice and debris smashing through through buildings after a massive
00:47:11massive section of road and glacier glacier broke away from the Langtang
00:47:14Langtang Mountain. According to a a new report from the World Weather
00:47:18Weather Attribution Group, the glacier glacier collapse was not caused by
00:47:21by a single extreme weather event event and said it was the result
00:47:25result of compound crises shaped
00:47:26shaped by long-term warming glacier
00:47:29glacier retreat, permafrost thaw thaw and also geological instability.
00:47:32instability. This also comes as the the UN's World Meteorological Organisation
00:47:36Organisation has issued a fresh warning warning that the world's water cycle
00:47:39cycle is becoming more unpredictable
00:47:41unpredictable and erratic. In a fresh fresh report, they said last year
00:47:45year was among the driest for the the world's rivers and over three
00:47:48three decades and saw glaciers shrink shrink further across all regions.
00:47:52regions. Our environment correspondent correspondent Nathan Navin Khadka Khadka has been keeping across the
00:47:56the response from Nepal to this confirmation confirmation that climate change
00:47:59change was a core factor in what what happened last month. What they
00:48:02they are telling me is this has kind kind of validated what they have
00:48:06have been arguing that, you know, know, it was largely climate change.
00:48:09change. That's what they said. They've They've also produced their internal internal report and so on and so
00:48:12so forth. They say that this has has kind of further bolstered their
00:48:16their claim. Now, it remains to be be seen how effective would this
00:48:19this be when they actually present present it. Because what I'm also
00:48:22also being told is, you know, this
00:48:24this fund, the loss and damage fund fund that was established years ago
00:48:28ago and became operational last year, year, we're still waiting for December
00:48:31December for them to, to, to begin begin the first tranche of projects.
00:48:34projects. And now Nepal is asking asking for urgent decision. Now these
00:48:38these documents including this WWE WWE World Weather Attribution report,
00:48:41report, you know, they're going to to present there. They say they believe
00:48:44believe that. What more do you want. want. This is a solid evidence. But
00:48:47But again you know, the attribution attribution science is quite complicated.
00:48:50complicated. It remains to be seen seen how will it be accepted? How
00:48:53How will it be seen in the board? board? More importantly, you know,
00:48:57know, is the time. What they want
00:48:59want is they don't want that December
00:49:01December meeting to decide along along with other projects, 120 countries
00:49:05countries already applied for them them for the money. They don't want want to wait. Nepal doesn't want
00:49:08want to wait until then. It wants wants to fast forward and rapid disbursement
00:49:11disbursement of money. But is there there also very much a sense that
00:49:15that Nepal contributes a tiny amount amount to global warming? And yet
00:49:18yet they are suffering in a way that that we've just seen as a result
00:49:21result of it. So therefore, why should should they come up with the funds
00:49:24funds for the billions of dollars dollars of damage that's been done? So this is what it is. You
00:49:27You see, there's a saying in Nepali Nepali that, you know, this is a
00:49:30a poison that we didn't have. We
00:49:32We didn't consume. And yet we are are having the effects of that poison,
00:49:36poison, that kind of thing, you know? know? So what is what what's going
00:49:39going on here is what I'm being told told by officials is it remains to
00:49:42to be seen how will the fund respond? respond? But be whatever money they
00:49:46they will get? Nepal has come up up with a bill. I'm sure you know,
00:49:50know, it's $5 billion for rebuilding. rebuilding. Now, it's not saying saying that it's going to claim all
00:49:54all that money from that fund, that that they'll have to be multiple multiple sources. But what they're
00:49:57they're telling me is what this fund,
00:49:59fund, how it reacts, how it, you you know, responds, that will be
00:50:03be a major thing in terms of securing securing money from elsewhere. And
00:50:05And we are all waiting to see what's what's going to happen. And very very worrying news from the UN as
00:50:09as well about fresh water, what's what's happening around the world
00:50:12world after the changes to the climate? climate? Yes. I mean, this is quite
00:50:14quite you know, I was looking at
00:50:16at these what seeing is all 19 glacier
00:50:19glacier regions, all 19 glacier regions regions are seeing, you know, loss
00:50:23loss of ice. That is very, very worrying. worrying. You see, this was something
00:50:26something to be honest, we were covering covering this many years ago saying saying that this would happen maybe
00:50:30maybe 50 years down the line by 2100
00:50:322100 and so on. And so but it looks looks like even this thing is coming
00:50:36coming forward fast and now they they are coming up with all these these warnings that there is less
00:50:39less fresh water. Just you know, know, when was that? Last year, I
00:50:42I think I did a story on so many
00:50:44many countries now resorting to desalination desalination of ocean water. Why?
00:50:48Why? Because fresh water is vanishing. vanishing. We're keeping a close
00:50:51close eye on the King today in Scotland Scotland hosting this AI summit.
00:50:56summit. But a very busy day for the the royals. You can see on the BBC
00:50:59BBC News website as well. William William and Catherine have arrived
00:51:02arrived on the Isle of Bute. They're They're there and they've kicked
00:51:05kicked off engagements at the Bute Bute Shinty Club, where the traditional
00:51:09traditional Scottish sport has been
00:51:11been played for generations. MUSIC
00:51:25I know this might sound weird,
00:51:28but I've been obsessed with the oldest
00:51:30oldest person in the world for years.
00:51:35years. Meet adventurous Brooklyn Brooklyn based, Oscar nominated filmmaker
00:51:38filmmaker Sam Green. Since 2015,
00:51:412015, he's been travelling the world, world, chronicling the forever changing
00:51:44changing holders of the title of
00:51:45of oldest person in the world. It's
00:51:49It's survey has included Kane Tanaka Tanaka in Japan, who held the title
00:51:52title for four years. And then there's
00:51:54there's the oldest person ever Jeanne
00:51:57Jeanne Louise Calment, who when she
00:51:59she died in 1997, was 122 years old.
00:52:01old. In her later years she recorded
00:52:03recorded a rap album. The thing I
00:52:05I liked about the film Sam Green's Green's investigation of these very
00:52:08very senior citizens has become a a lifelong project. A documentary
00:52:12documentary based on his survey so so far has just been released. He
00:52:15He has long been fascinated by why
00:52:17why the news media and the public
00:52:20public are so interested in the title title holder of the oldest person
00:52:23person in the world. To this day, day, I still don't fully understand
00:52:26understand it. Is this a fear of
00:52:29of death? Is this a fear of fate
00:52:32fate or a you know, one of those
00:52:34those things like with the car crash crash where you can't look away but
00:52:38but you don't want to look at it.
00:52:41it. In making his documentary, Sam Sam Green found there was nearly nearly always a desire on the part
00:52:44part of others to find out if there's there's a secret to longevity. The
00:52:48The elderly people, he observed, observed, had all kinds of answers
00:52:51answers for why they'd led a long long life. One woman stated she'd
00:52:55she'd live for a long time because because she'd stayed away from men.
00:52:58men. She also said her secret was was eating three raw eggs a day.
00:53:02day. Two, you know, so it's like like the media descends on these
00:53:05these people. Everybody asks them them what their secret is and they
00:53:08they say something and everybody everybody runs with that. This documentary
00:53:12documentary often shows that other other people, the outside world is
00:53:15is often much more intrigued by the the oldest person in the world than
00:53:19than the subjects who hold that title.
00:53:21title. But this film isn't just about about the very old. It's also about
00:53:25about life and death and events in in the filmmaker's own life the birth
00:53:28birth of a son and his own confrontation confrontation with a life threatening
00:53:32threatening illness. These things things started to creep into the
00:53:35the movie, so over time it becomes
00:53:37becomes a larger meditation, I hope,
00:53:40hope, about time and the mysteries mysteries of being alive and fate
00:53:43fate and all these big questions
00:53:46questions that we ask ourselves.
00:53:48ourselves. The last person I interviewed, interviewed, a Spanish woman named
00:53:52named Maria Branyas, she was very very funny. She even was making fun
00:53:56fun of me, which I love. But in. in. At a moment in the interview
00:54:00interview she said, you are young.
00:54:02young. Jobless. Now is the time to
00:54:05to do good works. What she was saying
00:54:08saying is you're young and you have
00:54:10have time, so use it. And I think
00:54:12think that's a beautiful thing to
00:54:17to appreciate. Over the last ten ten years, Sam Green has met many
00:54:21many of those who've held the title title of oldest person in the world.
00:54:24world. But there's been one holdout
00:54:26holdout the current title holder, holder, 117-year-old Ethel Caterham,
00:54:30Caterham, who lives in Surrey just just outside London. She was born
00:54:34born in Edwardian times. She is the
00:54:36the first person in ten years who
00:54:40who has rebuffed my overtures. But But she did let King Charles visit
00:54:43visit her, didn't she? When I saw
00:54:45saw a video of her in King Charles
00:54:49Charles and I thought, Charles, not
00:54:51not me, you know she's British. She's
00:54:53She's the last Edwardian. So I guess guess she feels some allegiance to
00:54:57to the King. But you know, come on. on. I've been doing this for ten
00:55:00ten years. Even though this documentary documentary focuses on the very old
00:55:04old and very fragile, it makes the the point that there is much to learn
00:55:07learn from observing them and from from the filmmaker himself about
00:55:11about what it means to live a thoughtful
00:55:13thoughtful life. It is an unexpectedly
00:55:16unexpectedly life affirming film.
00:59:00MUSIC
00:59:03I was on air when the London seven
00:59:08seven over seven attacks happened. happened. That day was different
00:59:11different because of the sheer volume volume of information we were grappling
00:59:14grappling with in real time. Conflicting Conflicting reports on the number
00:59:17number and locations of the attacks,
00:59:20attacks, unverified videos, witnesses witnesses in shock. It was crucial
00:59:24crucial that we report events accurately accurately without causing unnecessary
00:59:28unnecessary panic. We couldn't let let the desperation for news influence
00:59:31influence our reporting or be overwhelmed overwhelmed by the magnitude of what
00:59:35what we were witnessing. Today, as as we wade through endless waves
00:59:39waves of misinformation, it's vital vital that we don't just ask the
00:59:42the questions. We question the answers.
00:59:46answers. I'm Matthew Amroliwala on
00:59:47on Verified Live for BBC News.
01:00:13Live from London. This is BBC
01:00:15News. King Charles warns of the existential
01:00:18existential dangers of AI systems systems falling into the wrong hands
01:00:21hands as he addresses tech leaders
01:00:23leaders at a summit in Scotland.
01:00:26Scotland. Those in our world who
01:00:28who value deeply our humanity and
01:00:31and its vital moral component are
01:00:33are anxiously seeking your reassurance
01:00:36reassurance that we will not lose lose control of our destiny or our
01:00:40our souls. It comes as the King issues issues a pointed response after Princess
01:00:44Princess Diana's brother makes fresh fresh claims about him in a new book.
01:00:47book. South African police say they've they've found a ninth woman killed
01:00:51killed near Johannesburg in a spate spate of murders, causing fear and
01:00:54and outrage. The Bank of England
01:00:56England holds interest rates at 3.75% 3.75% for the sixth time