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00:00:08MUSIC
00:00:11Live from London. This is BBC News.
00:00:17News. At least two people are killed killed in the Moscow region after
00:00:20after a massive Ukrainian drone attack
00:00:22attack overnight. The brother of of Princess Diana, Earl Spencer,
00:00:25Spencer, tells the BBC the treatment treatment of the Duke and Duchess
00:00:28Duchess of Sussex at the hands of
00:00:30of the media echoes what happened happened to his sister. It would
00:00:33would be really beholden on people people to learn from Diana's example.
00:00:36example. I'm not here to speak for for Harry and Meghan, but for anyone
00:00:40anyone who's being destroyed in this
00:00:42this way daily, it must be such a
00:00:45a cancerous influence in their life. life. The German chancellor, Friedrich
00:00:48Friedrich Merz, faces growing political political pressure as local elections
00:00:51elections take place in two German
00:00:54German states. Ed Sheeran apologises
00:00:56apologises to fans for what he says
00:00:59says are mistakes. It's as he opens
00:01:01opens his first show since one of
00:01:03of his supporting acts was dropped dropped for making pro-Palestinian pro-Palestinian remarks on stage.
00:01:07stage. Others also left the line
00:01:08line up. What is happening in Gaza
00:01:12Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable unjustifiable and disproportionate.
00:01:16disproportionate. My heart has been been broken by the scale of devastation
00:01:19devastation and loss of civilians
00:01:22civilians lives, of children's lives.
00:01:33lives. Hello, I'm Rajini Vaidyanathan, Vaidyanathan, welcome to This Hour Hour here on BBC News. Authorities
00:01:37Authorities in Moscow say at least least two people have been killed
00:01:40killed and six injured in a massive massive overnight Ukrainian drone
00:01:44drone attack on the city. Well, posting posting this footage on social media
00:01:47media this morning, Ukraine's President President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed
00:01:49confirmed that Kyiv had hit a key
00:01:51key Russian oil facility as well well as a logistics site in the region.
00:01:55region. The targets, he said, represented represented billions of dollars that that sustain the war machine. Meanwhile,
00:01:59Meanwhile, the mayor of Moscow says says it was the largest drone attack
00:02:02attack on the Russian capital yet
00:02:04yet some 450 drones heading for the the capital were shot down. The Russian
00:02:08Russian authorities accused Ukraine Ukraine of trying to disrupt the the country's parliamentary elections,
00:02:12elections, which end today, and they they claim that more than 1600 drones
00:02:15drones were repelled since yesterday. yesterday. Well, our Russia editor,
00:02:19editor, Steve Rosenberg, is in Moscow, Moscow, where people are out voting.
00:02:22voting. I asked him what the reaction
00:02:24reaction has been to these elections elections and to these attacks. Well,
00:02:28Well, first of all, the reaction
00:02:30reaction no. Sense of surprise here. here. More kind of quiet resignation.
00:02:33resignation. I think that after more more than four and a half years of
00:02:37of Russia's war on Ukraine, Muscovites
00:02:39Muscovites have got used to their their city periodically becoming
00:02:43becoming a frontline. And many people, people, I think, had expected attacks attacks during the election. This
00:02:46This is one of the polling stations stations just behind me. But in the
00:02:50the centre. But earlier today we we were at a polling station very
00:02:53very close to the oil refinery that that got hit. One young voter told
00:02:56told me that he'd heard the explosions. explosions. He'd heard loud bangs.
00:03:00bangs. He said it was a bad situation. situation. I spoke to an older voter
00:03:04voter who said he wants peace, but
00:03:05but by peace he means Ukraine's defeat.
00:03:10defeat. As for the election, while while the whole process is tightly tightly controlled by the Kremlin,
00:03:13Kremlin, and I think Vladimir Putin Putin will want to use the election
00:03:17election and the results to be announced announced later to try to show that
00:03:19that the whole country is behind
00:03:22behind the Kremlin, behind the war war in Ukraine, almost to give him
00:03:25him a mandate to continue with the
00:03:28the special military operation. Well,
00:03:30Well, that's our Russia editor, Steve
00:03:33Steve Rosenberg, there. Now to a a BBC exclusive and Princess Diana's
00:03:36Diana's brother, Earl Spencer has has told the BBC he sees echoes of
00:03:40of her treatment by the media when when it comes to the coverage of
00:03:43of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Sussex. Speaking to my colleague
00:03:46colleague Laura Kuenssberg Earl Spencer Spencer has also rejected any perception
00:03:48perception that he favours Prince Prince Harry, insisting he's on the
00:03:51the side of both of his nephews.
00:03:54nephews. Do you fear there is somehow somehow an an echo of what happened
00:03:57happened to Diana? You know, Harry Harry has said on many occasions
00:04:00occasions that he hasn't felt supported supported by the institution over
00:04:03over the choices that he's made with with his life. I think there's a
00:04:06a perception in the media that I'm
00:04:08I'm on Harry's side. Well, I'm on
00:04:11on my deceased sister's son's side, side, both of them. And if either
00:04:15either of them wanted anything, then then I'd be equally there for them.
00:04:17them. And I never get involved in
00:04:20in one camp or the other except as
00:04:22as a benign figure. I hope. That's
00:04:25That's my role. Do you think Diana
00:04:28Diana would identify with the attention, attention, the focus that has been
00:04:31been put on them? And with Meghan, Meghan, who said she felt like she
00:04:34she was the most trolled person in in the world. You know, they were
00:04:37were here during the summer not so
00:04:39so long ago. If you look at an article
00:04:42article in a tabloid about Diana
00:04:46Diana or the couple that you're mentioning,
00:04:48mentioning, Harry and Meghan, you
00:04:50you know, it's they can be really, really, really unpleasant. And I
00:04:53I think it would be really beholden beholden on people to learn from
00:04:56from Diana's example. I'm not here here to speak for Harry and Meghan,
00:04:59Meghan, but for anyone who's being
00:05:02being destroyed in this way daily, daily, it must be such a cancerous
00:05:06cancerous influence in their life. life. I saw it with Diana, I saw
00:05:09saw Diana, I mentioned it in the the eulogy, her tears of despair.
00:05:13despair. One of the problems with
00:05:14with Diana was she's very, very sensitive
00:05:17sensitive to criticism. And of course, course, I'm sure most of your viewers
00:05:20viewers now think, oh, she had this this splendid life and it was all all amazing. And she didn't she was
00:05:24was so privileged and so perfect perfect in so many ways. But she
00:05:27she was really brought low by all all that criticism. And yeah, I suppose
00:05:31suppose it's a pity when I see echoes
00:05:34echoes of that now. Earl Spencer
00:05:37Spencer there. Well, our senior royal royal correspondent Daniela Relph
00:05:40Relph has been sharing her analysis analysis of those latest comments.
00:05:44comments. Earl Spencer has also been been speaking to the media today.
00:05:47today. What we're seeing here, Regina, Regina, is Earl Spencer very much
00:05:51much doubling down on what he is is writing in his book, what he has
00:05:54has said to Laura in that interview interview and now what he has told
00:05:56told the Mail on Sunday today saying saying that his late sister would
00:06:00would be cheering from the rafters rafters about this book. He's also
00:06:03also talked interestingly about that that statement from Buckingham Palace
00:06:06Palace last week, which questioned questioned whether a brother's grief
00:06:09grief could perhaps cloud his memories memories and his judgement on that.
00:06:12that. He says that the King is gaslighting
00:06:15gaslighting him with that statement, statement, questioning his memories. memories. Earl Spencer describes
00:06:19describes that as astonishingly provocative provocative and below the belt. There's
00:06:22There's been no further comment on on the interview or anything else
00:06:25else from Buckingham Palace since since last Wednesday. They just don't
00:06:28don't want to be drawn into the to to and fro. It's the same from Prince
00:06:31Prince William and Prince Harry. Harry. Nothing from their camps. camps. But all of this is a really
00:06:35really painful episode for the King. King. His integrity is being questioned
00:06:39questioned while he is still being being treated for cancer, and he
00:06:41he wants minds focused on royal duties.
00:06:45duties. Nats Daniela Relph there. there. Well, you can watch the full
00:06:48full interview at Laura Kuenssberg Kuenssberg with Earl Spencer here
00:06:51here on the BBC News Channel. We We have a special programme at 7pm
00:06:557pm BST. If you're watching in the the UK though, you can actually catch
00:06:58catch it half an hour earlier on on BBC One. That's 6.30, of course,
00:07:02course, and if you want to get it it even earlier than that, you can
00:07:05can go to the BBC iPlayer and BBC
00:07:07BBC Sounds where that interview will
00:07:09will be released at 4 pm. Now to
00:07:13to Germany and voting is under way way in two German states for elections,
00:07:16elections, which could further weaken weaken Friedrich Mertz's position position as chancellor. He's already
00:07:19already cancelled plans to attend attend the UN General Assembly in
00:07:22in New York later this week, as speculation speculation grows about his future.
00:07:25future. Well, the votes are taking taking place in the capital Berlin
00:07:28Berlin and also in the Mecklenburg-Western
00:07:31Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania region. region. Well, let's get more on that
00:07:34that by speaking to Doctor Henning
00:07:36Henning Hoff, the editor of Internationale Internationale Politik Quarterly.
00:07:39Quarterly. That's a journal on German German and European foreign affairs.
00:07:42affairs. It's published by the German German Council on Foreign Relations.
00:07:46Relations. Welcome to BBC News. For
00:07:49For people who don't watch German German politics as closely, these these are local elections. But of
00:07:53of course they are hugely significant significant because they could tell
00:07:55tell us a story about how the German German Chancellor CDU party is faring.
00:07:59faring. Just take us through what
00:08:01what we're watching. Yes, you have
00:08:03have to realise this these two elections elections come after the shock we
00:08:07we had two weeks ago when the far
00:08:10far right AfD one to the elections
00:08:13elections in Saxony-Anhalt and other other federal state. And now of course,
00:08:17course, all eyes are on how well well the CDU. The Chancellor's party
00:08:21party will do in Berlin. There's
00:08:24There's a sort of two horse race
00:08:26race between the CDU and Die Linke
00:08:28Linke party, which is the hard left
00:08:31left party and in, in Mecklenburg
00:08:32Mecklenburg the CDU is actually struggling
00:08:35struggling to stay in Parliament, Parliament, which is many see this
00:08:38this as a kind of a test for formats
00:08:41formats really. If the CDU falls
00:08:43falls out of that, that regional
00:08:47regional parliament things are get
00:08:49get dicey. And what is putting pressure pressure on the CDU at the moment?
00:08:52moment? I mean, we've talked about about these recent elections a couple
00:08:55couple of weeks ago where the far far right AfD did quite well. Are
00:08:58Are they part of the equation this
00:09:00this time round? Well they won't
00:09:03won't win as spectacularly as they they did two weeks ago. And there
00:09:07there are some chance that they will will lose their momentum. They have
00:09:10have sort of built up over the last
00:09:14last couple of weeks, but it's really, really, really difficult to tell
00:09:17tell at the moment sort of what will
00:09:18will the exact effect. They are sort
00:09:21sort of some indications that smart smart sort of is won't be replaced
00:09:25replaced immediately that that he he has won a little bit of time,
00:09:27time, a little bit breather maybe, maybe, but there is no way to get
00:09:30get around the fact that he is really
00:09:33really historically unpopular and and within his party. Many people
00:09:36people are worried that this is sort sort of dragging the whole party
00:09:39party down. And at some point there
00:09:42there might be the moment where his
00:09:46his colleagues think we can't win win with him. We might have to replace
00:09:49replace him. And what did you make make of the fact that he said he's
00:09:52he's not going to the UN General General Assembly, a really important
00:09:55important event for world leaders leaders to come together. It tells tells you something, doesn't it,
00:09:59it, that he's staying back home.
00:10:00home. Indeed. He's fighting for his
00:10:03his position. He told us two weeks weeks ago that that giving up is
00:10:06is no option for him. And as I said, said, he might have bought a little,
00:10:10little, little bit of time because
00:10:12because there's no obvious successor.
00:10:15successor. And those who might actually actually be be able to succeed him
00:10:18him may need more time to, to, to
00:10:21to prepare for such an eventuality.
00:10:24eventuality. So even if the outcome
00:10:26outcome this evening is quite dire
00:10:28dire for the CDU, it might still
00:10:30still take longer than initially initially expected for for seeing
00:10:34seeing something which is really really rare in German politics that
00:10:37that the leading figure is be replaced. replaced. I mean, Chancellor Emmert
00:10:40Emmert says he's going to stay on, on, doesn't he? Even if the results results don't look good. But of course,
00:10:44course, as you mentioned already already in our conversation, he's he's got very poor approval ratings.
00:10:48ratings. What do you think could could tip the balance then? If those
00:10:51those results don't look great later?
00:10:54later? Well, as I said, I think for
00:10:55for the moment he's probably clear
00:10:58clear a catastrophic loss for the
00:11:01the CDU in Mecklenburg. Of course, course, might sort of set set something
00:11:05something in motion. Also in Berlin,
00:11:08Berlin, if the polls are wrong and and the CDU is getting a really,
00:11:11really, really bad result at the the moment, they are polling about
00:11:14about 20%. But if that's not not
00:11:17not panned out by by the results,
00:11:19results, then also this might be be the moment where the CDU decides,
00:11:23decides, no, we can't continue with
00:11:25with Mr Merz, but he has managed
00:11:28managed to, to sort of somehow sort
00:11:30sort of calm down the situation to
00:11:32to some extent. Also arguing that that he is the only one really who
00:11:36who could sort of now see through through these unpopular reforms.
00:11:40reforms. He and his government are
00:11:42are pursuing. So he might might sort
00:11:45sort of operate on, on the assumption assumption that that he will go forward,
00:11:49forward, introduce these reforms reforms and then maybe make place place for a more popular candidate.
00:11:53candidate. OK. Doctor Henning Hoff, Hoff, thank you very much for taking
00:11:56taking us through what we can look
00:11:59look to in a few hours from now.
00:12:00now. We will of course have full
00:12:03full continuing coverage of those those results as they come in. And And in the next couple of hours,
00:12:07hours, we'll also speak to our correspondent correspondent in Germany, Jessica
00:12:11Jessica Parker, now the sister of of Pakistan's jailed former Prime
00:12:14Prime Minister Aleema Khan, has been
00:12:16been arrested in Lahore. A spokesman
00:12:19spokesman for Imran Khan's PTI party party said that Miss Khan was arrested
00:12:23arrested at her home on Sunday ahead ahead of a planned party protest
00:12:26protest march, which is due to take take place next weekend. While the
00:12:29the government and police have yet yet to comment on Aleema Khan arrest,
00:12:33arrest, the former cricketer Imran Imran Khan has been in prison since
00:12:36since August 2023 after he was convicted
00:12:40convicted on a number of charges, charges, including corruption. He
00:12:42He says they're politically motivated.
00:12:45motivated. President Trump says he'll he'll form an AI force and appoint
00:12:49appoint a new artificial intelligence intelligence adviser to regulate regulate the industry. Writing on
00:12:53on social media, he says he would would not hinder the growth of AI.
00:12:56AI. Warning that the US must maintain maintain its lead over China. Leigh
00:12:59Leigh Milner has more on what's behind
00:13:02behind the President's urgency around
00:13:04around AI. Apologies. We will bring
00:13:12bring that analysis from Leigh Milner Milner in a moment, but let's move
00:13:15move on to another big story of the
00:13:18the day. Musician Ed Sheeran's apologised apologised on stage to fans in Philadelphia,
00:13:22Philadelphia, admitting that he made made mistakes following the controversy controversy over his world tour.
00:13:25tour. The singer has been dealing dealing with the fallout after his
00:13:29his main support act, the American American rapper Macklemore was removed
00:13:32removed from the line-up after he he made pro-Palestinian remarks on
00:13:35on stage. It led to the other support
00:13:37support acts then dropping out. Ed Ed Sheeran says he questions whether
00:13:40whether he wanted to be an artist artist at all after everything that
00:13:44that happened. Carl Nasman reports reports from the show. Ed Sheeran
00:13:47Sheeran is used to having the spotlight spotlight on his music. Tonight it
00:13:51it was squarely on his words. This This is not usually how I would open
00:13:54open the show, but before I play play some songs tonight, I hope it's
00:13:58it's OK if I say a few words. Taking
00:14:00Taking the stage in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, the megastar apologised
00:14:04apologised directly to his fans for for the recent controversy surrounding
00:14:06surrounding his tour. This week. week. The criticism was about something
00:14:10something much more important and and I've had to take and make difficult
00:14:14difficult decisions and I am making
00:14:16making mistakes and I'm so, so sorry.
00:14:18sorry. He also clarified where he he stands on the situation in Gaza.
00:14:22Gaza. What happened in Israel and and at the Nova Music Festival on
00:14:26on October 7th was horrific and compounded
00:14:28compounded centuries of Jewish pain.
00:14:31pain. What is happening in Gaza is
00:14:34is a catastrophic and unjustifiable unjustifiable and disproportionate.
00:14:37disproportionate. My heart has been been broken by the scale of devastation
00:14:40devastation and loss of civilians
00:14:44civilians lives, of children's lives lives and the systemic injustice
00:14:47injustice we're seeing unfold in in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.
00:14:51overlooked. Sheeran also addressed addressed the musicians not in the
00:14:54the room, his backing band and tour tour mates left in solidarity after
00:14:57after the rapper Macklemore was dropped dropped over his pro-Palestinian
00:15:01pro-Palestinian views. He said he he was deeply worried about venues
00:15:05venues pre-approving content or performers. performers. I was in some of the
00:15:09the front rows inside that stadium stadium as Ed Sheeran made that speech
00:15:12speech and this was clearly an emotional emotional moment for him. He said
00:15:15said he was worried about how he he might be perceived tonight, and
00:15:18and he was thankful that fans came came out at all. I thought it was
00:15:22was beautiful that we got to witness witness him in his element, like
00:15:25like what he's used to being in from from the start, you know? So he started
00:15:28started by himself and he's just just as good by himself then with
00:15:31with all these extra people. So I'm I'm glad we got more of Ed Sheeran
00:15:34Sheeran than we would have otherwise. otherwise. He stayed neutral and and I think he covered both sides
00:15:38sides nicely. I think everyone leaves leaves happy and a big fan of his.
00:15:41his. Sheeran is an artist who likes likes to stay out of politics, but
00:15:45but that has become increasingly increasingly difficult. Before the
00:15:48the concert, dozens of pro-Palestinian pro-Palestinian protesters near the
00:15:51the stadium only added to the pressure. pressure. Sheeran said tonight that that he wants his concerts to be
00:15:55be a place where everyone is welcome, welcome, and he likely hopes now
00:15:59now the focus can return to his music.
00:16:04music. Carl Nasman, BBC News. Now Now let's take a look at some of
00:16:06of the day's other news now. The The new school year has begun in
00:16:10in Gaza, with more than 500,000 children children returning to formal education
00:16:13education for the first time in nearly
00:16:14nearly three years. The UN says 97%
00:16:1797% of schools in the territory were
00:16:19were damaged or destroyed in fighting. fighting. Since the Israel-Gaza war
00:16:23war began, working alongside UN agencies, agencies, the education ministry
00:16:26ministry has opened about 700 education
00:16:29education facilities, some as simple simple as a tent. Thousands of people
00:16:32people in Argentina have been marching marching through Buenos Aires to
00:16:36to protest against President Javier Javier Morales. Labour policies and
00:16:38and austerity cuts. The left wing wing political leaders and activists activists have been calling for a
00:16:42a general strike in the country. country. Police in the Netherlands
00:16:45Netherlands have clashed with several several hundred far right protesters
00:16:48protesters in the centre of The Hague. Hague. Authorities ordered a planned
00:16:52planned anti-immigration demonstration demonstration be broken up its after after it spiralled into violence
00:16:56violence as protesters were gathering gathering at a local park. Demonstrators
00:16:59Demonstrators threw fireworks and and projectiles at riot police and
00:17:02and chanted antisemitic slogans. slogans. At least 24 people were
00:17:06were arrested. The American footwear footwear company converse has withdrawn
00:17:10withdrawn an advert after criticism criticism that it evoked imagery
00:17:13imagery of the white supremacist supremacist group the Klu Klux Klan.
00:17:16Klan. Social media users said shadows shadows in the photograph resembled resembled a white pointed hood, while
00:17:19while a pair of dangling shoes was
00:17:22was likened to an image of lynching.
00:17:28lynching. Now the leader of the Liberal Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, says
00:17:32says the Liberal Democrats are a a firewall against Nigel Farage and
00:17:35and reform it as the party's annual annual conference gets under way
00:17:39way in Brighton. Well, let's go to to Brighton and join my colleague,
00:17:43colleague, our political correspondent correspondent Damien Grammaticas. Grammaticas. So already some policy
00:17:47policy ideas that are being thrown thrown out as well as of course a
00:17:50a bigger picture strategy from the
00:17:52the party. Yeah that's right. So
00:17:55So the party are doing is trying trying to respond to this situation.
00:17:58situation. They find themselves in in flatlining in the polls. Yes,
00:18:00Yes, they did very well at the last last general election, but they're
00:18:04they're not really getting anywhere anywhere at the minute. So they've
00:18:07they've got a lot of MPs but they're they're not getting much of a hearing. hearing. How do they do that? Ed
00:18:11Ed Davey is trying to talk about about tax cuts. That's something
00:18:14something he's talked about today today and wants to talk about later
00:18:16later in the week. His deputy leader leader Daisy Cooper, she's talking
00:18:19talking about growth in the economy economy closer ties with the EU.
00:18:23EU. Someone who's watching all this this closely. Holly Cole from Times
00:18:26Times Radio. This kind of framing framing of these policies, what do
00:18:30do you see in it? Lib Dems looking looking for ways to connect to voters.
00:18:32voters. Well it's sort of the party party looking for a soul again basically
00:18:35basically is how I read it from having having conversations with members members here and MPs. They've got
00:18:39got this historic amount of MPs in in Parliament. They haven't quite quite worked out what to do with
00:18:43with them and also how to make sure sure that that's not sort of a limit
00:18:47limit to their ambitions. So that that means that they are looking looking at whether they are actually
00:18:50actually liberal, you know, like like the Liberal Party, the Orange
00:18:52Orange Book, sort of Lib Dem party party of 2004 looking at the economic
00:18:56economic liberal policies or are are they tax cutting cuts, things
00:18:59things like that, talking big on on the free market or are they more
00:19:02more a big state party, which is is where the party had drifted to
00:19:06to just shortly before that and where where a lot of MPs think Ed Davey
00:19:08Davey has drifted to with his promises promises on social care and similar
00:19:12similar ideals. So there is a sort sort of battle for the soul of the
00:19:15the party here. The question is they they know they need to find an answer
00:19:18answer to it. The answer is quite quite hard to come by because politics politics is, as we know, a lot more
00:19:22more fractious. And as we saw from from that, more in common polling polling earlier, the question of
00:19:26of who are the Lib Dems and what what do they think of Ed Davey? The The answer comes nothing or don't
00:19:29don't know. And so filling that gap gap is their real challenge here. here. Now, one thing people have
00:19:33have been talking about is is part part of the answer. Changing the
00:19:36the not just the strategy but the the leadership. You know, does the
00:19:39the party need a refresh? David's David's been around for a long time. time. He's had success. But should
00:19:43should they change? There's some some rumbles about that. We've had
00:19:46had one council leader saying to to the BBC that he thinks they're
00:19:49they're struggling for relevance relevance and not sure that Ed Davey Davey is the right person. Do you
00:19:52you think that's something that's that's really genuinely being thought thought about here? Yeah, it is.
00:19:56is. And if you talk to MPs, the parliamentary parliamentary party, they think that
00:19:59that this needs an injection of energy. energy. The whole party system needs
00:20:02needs a move forward and that means means potentially getting rid of
00:20:05of Ed Davey. He's given I think, think, 7 or 8 leaders speeches at
00:20:08at Lib Dem conferences. So he's been been in charge for some time and and no one can sort of knock his
00:20:12his record for whether Liberal Democrats Democrats now stand. The issue is,
00:20:15is, is whether people believe his his energy going forward. I mean, mean, he stood up on the conference
00:20:18conference stage yesterday and tried tried to get the crowd here who were
00:20:22were pretty forgiving crowd to the the Liberal Democrats. You would
00:20:24would hope to chant we care. We fight fight their conference slogan. There
00:20:27There was a really quite muted and and it didn't really get off the the ground. And so is there someone
00:20:31someone with that energy now? The The problem is the who. There's a a lot of old guard liberal Democrats
00:20:35Democrats who have been sniffing sniffing around the leadership for for some time, but everyone thinks thinks they'd basically be sort of
00:20:38of Ed Davey but in a different set set of clothes. The only other option
00:20:42option is a very, very fresh MP, MP, someone new to the parliamentary parliamentary party who they're not
00:20:45not quite sure the public knows yet yet or is quite right to leave. But
00:20:48But you always get this sort of party party conference mid between election election moment where there are jitters
00:20:51jitters and they're not sure yet yet whether to jump off the cliff cliff edge or whether to stick. Well,
00:20:55Well, the leadership and those around around him, you talk to them. They're They're very clear. They think actually
00:20:59actually they were they did well. well. They are under the headlines
00:21:01headlines doing well. They you know, know, council elections. They now
00:21:05now have more councils than the Tories Tories that they control. The Conservatives
00:21:08Conservatives in England. And they're they're kind of positioned, they they say to yes, they could sharpen
00:21:12sharpen their message, but be a player, player, particularly at the next
00:21:15next election if there is a hung hung parliament and they think that's
00:21:18that's likely, they do. But you have have to remember that actually they
00:21:21they were a very different party party when they went into coalition. coalition. The last time. The Liberal
00:21:24Liberal Democrats don't like to talk talk about their record in government government because they've spent spent the last few years bashing
00:21:28bashing the Conservative Party that that they were in bed with. But the
00:21:31the reality is the direction of the the party was very different under under Nick Clegg and the ideals of
00:21:35of the party were clear to go into into that coalition and draw those
00:21:37those red lines. So they need to to work that out again. And this this is what this weekend is all
00:21:41all about. Holly, thank you very very much for your time there. So
00:21:45So yes, a party putting out new ideas ideas but also struggling for direction
00:21:49direction and for focus. Back to to you. OK, Damien, thank you very
00:21:51very much. And of course Damien will
00:21:53will continue his coverage of that that conference in the days ahead.
00:21:56ahead. And there's plenty more online online as well. Next, we've heard
00:22:00heard a lot, of course, about mother mother and baby groups, but one new
00:22:03new dad noticed that there was much much less support available for fathers,
00:22:07fathers, so he decided to do something something about it himself. His Good
00:22:10Good Dads Club gives fathers a place place to share the highs and lows
00:22:14lows of parenthood. It's now grown grown to more than 400 members, as
00:22:17as Robbie West now reports. Oh yeah,
00:22:20yeah, 100%. Pushing prams and putting putting the world to rights. This
00:22:23This is a group for dads to get together together and have a walk and a talk,
00:22:27talk, even if some of the kids they
00:22:29they bring aren't as chatty. Your
00:22:33Your wife know. Luke is one of the
00:22:35the 40 men that's come to the first first meet up of the Chelmsford Good
00:22:38Good Dads group. It's fantastic because because it's giving dads an opportunity opportunity to connect with other
00:22:42other dads. I remember, you know, know, when we had a bit of a tough
00:22:46tough time in the hospital with the the baby, there was no real support
00:22:49support network there at the hospital hospital or anything like that for for so many kids to turn out. It's
00:22:52It's fantastic. I mean, I've even even met one of the dads I've not not seen for 17 years since I was
00:22:56was at school with him. So you're you're getting to connect with other other dads and just have a chat.
00:22:59chat. And it's genuinely really quite quite a relieving feeling. The group
00:23:03group was started by a new dad looking looking for people going through
00:23:06through the same situation as him.
00:23:08him. There's so many good mums groups groups around. My wife threw herself
00:23:11herself into loads of them, but I I couldn't find anything for dads
00:23:15dads so I decided to start my own. own. You know, they've given amazing amazing advice. They've been through
00:23:18through exactly the same thing. That's That's what it's about. We're not not relying on AI or Google. We're
00:23:22We're actually dads who have been been through it and they're willing willing to share their experiences
00:23:25experiences and help other dads. dads. So it really is a great support
00:23:28support network. I've become a dad
00:23:30dad because of the dads in the group, group, and I hope that's the case
00:23:33case for a lot of the other dads dads as well. It has amazing feedback
00:23:36feedback from everyone. It's been been really, really, really. I'm
00:23:39I'm just so proud. It makes me choke choke you thinking about it. But
00:23:42But yeah, it it's just fantastic. fantastic. Members say it's not just
00:23:46just about getting them out of the the house, it's also about letting
00:23:49letting mums have some time to themselves. themselves. If you're a dad looking
00:23:52looking to meet new dads and you
00:23:54you want to get out and like talk talk about things and how you're you're feeling or whatever. Join
00:23:58Join Good Dads Club. It's just it's it's the best. I think we're going
00:24:01going to be on TV. Oh yeah. This
00:24:04This is a walk that isn't just about about getting from A to B, this is
00:24:08is a chance for dads to check in
00:24:09in on each other during a time that
00:24:12that can be particularly challenging.
00:24:14challenging. Robbie West, BBC News.
00:24:18News. The French president, Emmanuel Emmanuel Macron, has endorsed a deal
00:24:21deal signed between Denmark and the the US over the future of Greenland,
00:24:24Greenland, saying it helped reaffirm reaffirm Danish sovereignty over
00:24:27over the Arctic territory. Well, Well, President Trump has posted posted several days ago a map of
00:24:31of the North Atlantic, which included included one French archipelago with
00:24:35with the American flag prompting prompting strong criticism from Paris.
00:24:38Paris. The future of Greenland sparked sparked tensions between Washington
00:24:41Washington and its Nato allies after after President Trump threatened
00:24:45threatened to annexe it. While America America has a base in the north of
00:24:48of the territory, and it's where where mineral wealth and resources
00:24:51resources have become more accessible accessible due to global warming.
00:24:54warming. A rare catch and kill order order has been issued for a great
00:24:58great white shark off the coast of of Western Australia. That's after
00:25:01after a 63-year-old swimmer was killed killed at a popular beach on Friday.
00:25:04Friday. His body has yet to be found. found. It's the second shark attack
00:25:08attack in Western Australia this this week and the third fatal one
00:25:12one in the state this year. Now ancient
00:25:16ancient Roman architecture has met
00:25:18met cutting edge technology in Croatia.
00:25:21Croatia. The Adriatic coastal city
00:25:23city of Pula turned its 2000-year-old 2000-year-old historic buildings
00:25:26buildings into a canvas for contemporary contemporary light art. Some 16 locations
00:25:30locations across the city were used used to explore themes of space,
00:25:33space, peace, nature and human relationships.
00:25:35relationships. In total, there were were 23 works featuring artists from
00:25:38from countries including Croatia Croatia but also Germany, Ukraine,
00:25:42Ukraine, Norway and Hong Kong. As
00:25:44As you can see there now, a reminder
00:25:47reminder of our one of our main stories stories today and that is of course, course, the BBC's interview with
00:25:51with Earl Spencer. You can watch watch it here in full on the BBC
00:25:54BBC News Channel at 7pm BST. Do stay
00:25:56stay with us here on BBC News.
00:29:54latest news wherever you are. Business
00:29:55Business on BBC News. Make the connection.
00:30:06connection. MUSIC
00:30:08MUSIC
00:30:14These are the latest headlines from BBC News. At least two people
00:30:18people are killed in the Moscow region region after Ukraine carries out
00:30:21out large-scale drone attacks near near the Russian capital. The mayor
00:30:24mayor of Moscow says 450 drones were
00:30:27were directed at the city since Saturday. Saturday. Princess Diana's brother
00:30:31brother Earl Spencer, has told the the BBC the treatment of the Duke
00:30:33Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the the hands of the media has echoes
00:30:37echoes of what happened to his sister. sister. German Chancellor Friedrich
00:30:41Friedrich Merz faces growing political political pressure as local elections
00:30:44elections take place in two German
00:30:46German states. Opinion polls suggest suggest that the Chancellor's party,
00:30:49party, the CDU, is at risk of damaging
00:30:52damaging defeats, raising questions
00:30:53questions about his future as leader.
00:30:57leader. Ed Sheeran apologises to to fans