tv Verified Live BBC News April 8, 2024 4:00pm-4:31pm BST
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and the life and music of amy winehouse is the subject of a new film, back to black. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. palestinians who've gone back to the wrecked city of khan younis have spoken to the bbc of returning to widespread destruction. israel's military revealed on sunday, it was reducing its numbers of soldiers from southern gaza, leaving just one brigade in the area. the israeli military has stressed though a �*significant force�* would remain in gaza. our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet, is injerusalem.
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they return home after months of israeli bombardment and ground operations, which have left large parts of khan younis in ruin. palestinians said they went to streets they didn't recognise any more. not finding their house or the neighbour's house, saying that simply they wouldn't be able to live there any more. but there is relief that the israeli troops have now left the area. the announcement was made yesterday by the israeli military, saying that it was pulling out all of its ground forces, except one brigade, which would remain in that part of the strip to enforce a corridor which divides northern gaza from the south. but israel has taken pains to say that it will still retain a significant force in the north. there has been much speculation here in israeli media as to whether this marks the end
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of israel's ground operation or is simply a pause and a rest before israel resumes its campaign. speaking a short time ago in tel aviv, israeli government spokesperson avi hyman said the reduction in troop numbers was not an indication of a pause in fighting. we try not to speak too much about the movement of our soldiers, obviously for their safety. what i will say is that the movement of those soldiers doesn't indicate anything special. we are committed to our war aims to destroy hamas, to bring home the 133 hostages and to ensure that gaza does not pose a threat to us any more. we will continue on with that mission, will continue onto rafah to destroy the last four hamas military terror battalions.
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so i wouldn't read too much into the fact that we have moved soldiers in or out of anywhere. i will remind everyone that we are living in a tiny, tiny country. we can move soldiers in and out very easily and very quickly. say nothing special but at the six month mark of this war there is talk of a new chapter, new pressure, including significant pressure from washington and ever—growing concern about the way that israel is fighting this war. so how does the situation look now from europe? joining me now is the eu's top diplomat, high representative of the eu for foreign affairsjosep borrell. welcome to the programme. thank you. thank you for having me here with you and your audience. you have been one of the most
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critical voices on the way the war in gaza is being fought. do you sense that the situation is changing, now thatjoe biden the us president has made a warning to israel? well, the us has always had huge influence on israel. the issue is do they want to use it and now the us support cannot be considered unconditional because the us have global interests and they cannot disregard the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in gaza. and now what is happening in gaza is part of the internal conversation, six months before their actions. so all of us will need to try to make the recipe of ceasefire,
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liberation of hostages, increased humanitarian support and a political solution. do you sense a shift in europe? a number of countries, including belgium, italy, spain, the netherlands have suspended arms sales to israel. is this the beginning of something bigger? well, you know, arms exports in europe is a national competence. each member state takes the decision they consider most appropriate. the european union has no competences and not a say in that. the selling of arms to israel are highly concentrated in a small number of countries. each one will do whatever they consider what they have to do. i cannot intervene on that.
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but still... yes, it is national but broadly speaking do you sense now, especially after the killing of seven aid workers with world central kitchen and with the tough talk from the united states that this could possibly be a turning point? well, you know, these seven humanitarian workers killed is the first time that the israeli forces admit that they have been killed by error. it has shocked many people around the world but i wonder how many errors have been committed before on the killing of 140 humanitarian workers of the united nations agency. we have been shocked maybe because they are europeans or from western countries. it had been an error.
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well, how many errors for 140 humanitarian workers killed? before this seven. yes, it has shocked and made people aware of what is happening there is awful. and i understand that the us has put more pressure on israel and this makes israel reopen partially some crossing points, in order to provide more support, humanitarian support to the starving population of gaza. it is a small step. it shows that it is possible to increase the flow of humanitarian support. it goes in the right direction, it comes late, better than never. better than nothing. but we have to continue working on these four items of the recipe — freeing hostages, ceasefire, more more humanitarian support and looking for
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a political solution. because even eliminating hamas in gaza, you havejerusalem. it is not going to solve all problems because look at the situation in the west bank. that was our chief international correspondent lyse doucet speaking to the eu'sjosep borrell. in north america, excitement is mounting in the lead—up to the total solar eclipse. millions of people across mexico, the us and canada are waiting in the hope of witnessing the rare phenomenon. an eclipse happens when the moon moves between the earth and the sun, perfectly blocking out the sun's rays. nomia iqbal has more from texas. i keep looking at the skies. actually, we all are because yesterday was so beautiful, so clear and sunny. today, there is cloud cover, there is a prediction there could be rain and that might affect the viewing of the eclipse. but look, that is not going to put people off, especially the many
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families who are here at this park, who camped overnight in order to experience this once—in—a—lifetime event. music plays. this park has turned into a family music festival, with a stage for dancing, food stalls, bouncy castles and people camped out. the big star everyone is here to see is in the sky. we wait for things like this. to be able to be outside and not stuck inside doing something, or school, or whatever is going on, to be able to spend time together as a family is amazing, especially to see something so cool. the one in 2017 was the first one i'd experienced — the first total one that i'd experienced — and it was pretty mind— blowing. the moon will move in front of the sun, blocking its light and plunging the earth into darkness for up to four minutes. there will be a total eclipse of the heartland. the path of totality will stretch from mexico across the us and through to canada. the weather is sadly looking cloudy, but everyone is trying to be upbeat.
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even if you have clouds, you will be able to see the drop in light, the drop in temperature. but one of the great things about a total solar eclipse is you can see the corona, or the outer atmosphere of the sun, which is this beautiful, stunning thing we don't normally get to see and unfortunately if there's clouds, we won't see that. cheering. last time this celestial phenomenon happened in the us was in 2017. you may remember this moment. to view the sky safely, definitely don't do what mr trump did there and stare right at the sun. these solar eclipse glasses are your best friends. they are much, much darker than regular sunglasses. they block out the light — and radiation. they should also carry this authentic label, which means they meet a high standard of safety. who's excited the eclipse is coming? and as the start of the eclipse draws near, anticipation is building across the us. we are literally over the moon to welcome over one million people
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to our state for this once—in—a—generation moment. some people across the state have travelled hundreds of miles, others from out of town have travelled thousands of miles to come, and for one good reason — the stars are truly aligned for new york. a total solar eclipse is notjust something that you see, but experience with your whole body. you feel temperatures drop, you hear nocturnal animals wake up as day becomes night for several breathtaking minutes. nomia iqbal, bbc news, texas. well, already so many people are gathering. let me show you again some of the live pictures that are coming into us from the different parts of the world as the crowds gather. these are pictures from mexico. that of course is where they are going to get the first sight of this. let me also take you to niagara falls and people gathering there. what a spectacular backdrop that that is to watch this total
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eclipse. and there is so much in the build—up available on the bbc website. if you click onto that qr code, if you scan it it takes you straightaway to the live streaming page. also the live page. there is so much really fascinating detail because amongst other things it tracks this solar eclipse. after arriving in mexico the eclipse will take a little under an hour and a0 minutes before it actually reaches the eastern tip of canada. the widest part of the eclipse that people will see is about 115 miles and it passes through several time zones as it crosses the continent. lots of really fascinating detail and we wait to see some wonderful, wonderful pictures through the course of the next two hours —— the next few hours. so do head to the bbc news app and website because so much information there. taking you to live page and as it scrolls you get an idea of some of the things
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available there that is already up and running. do stay with us. that is being updated all the while. staying in the us, and an issue that will be key in november's presidential election. in a video posted to social media, donald trump has announced his policy position on abortion rights, saying they should be decided by individual states. he did not specify at what point in a pregnancy he would ban abortion. but he said, he supported exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. this was donald trump, explaining his thinking. my my view is now that we have an abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by boat or legislature or perhaps both. and whatever they decide must be the law of the land, in this case the law of the state. many states will be different, many will have a different, many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others and that is what they will
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be. at the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people. you must follow your heart all come in many cases, your religion or your faith. our correspondent tom batemanjoins me now. tom, just a small extract of what donald trump has posted but your take? ~ ~ , . ~ , take? well, i think he is making his stance about _ take? well, i think he is making his stance about as _ take? well, i think he is making his stance about as clear _ take? well, i think he is making his stance about as clear as _ take? well, i think he is making his stance about as clear as we - take? well, i think he is making his stance about as clear as we are - stance about as clear as we are going to get or at least that we have had so far in the run—up to november's election. donald trump had repeatedly been questioned about what his position was on first of all federal ban. and if there to be bands on abortions in many states and many states have been implemented in them, at what stage in a pregnancy they should be imposed. now, this was, as i say, the first time that donald trump has made his position clear. so what he has said is that he thinks it should be up to states to decide first of all whether or not they should be a
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ban and if so at which point in the pregnancy. why does this matter? as you say, it is going to be an absolutely key issue in the run—up to the election. it is highly contested and another very polarising issue. in donald trump is a key figure here because in 2016 he campaigned to appoint as president supreme courtjudges deliberate supreme court judges deliberate justices supreme courtjudges deliberate justices that would overturn roe v. wade, that was the 1973 supreme court ruling that enshrined a federal right to an abortion for women in america. that was overturned in 2022 with the help of three conservative justices that had been appointed by president ron. now he had always hailed his role previously in that. but since then —— appointed by president trump. but now it is far more contested among the electorate and unpopular among the electorate and unpopular among the electorate and unpopular among the electorate here simply wavered.
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times he's highlighted his role in being key to this and other times downplayed it. today we got more clarification from him was why and already we have had a response from the biden administration saying trump is scrambling to dampen the abortion damage. you think back to the midterm elections, it was one of the midterm elections, it was one of the key drivers to get democrats out voting against trump. that's right and i think it shows donald trump is vulnerable on the issue issue. the other interesting thing is he took his time, he made a preplanned and pre—trial announcement on this in a very un—trump way. away we are not necessarily used to. i think it shows there is a considerable amount of calculation, particularly around this issue. you mention the biden campaign. they are already exploiting this for everything they have got. they say donald trump had ripped away a fundamental right for women in america. mr biden saying that women were in the extraordinary
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position under donald trump where they have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers have. so they are aware of how this may play and they are hoping for a repeat of the effect in those mid—term elections that we saw many democrats punished over this issue. having said that, and although we have heard donald trump clarifying his view and really trying to hedge on this issue by saying it is up to the states are not being clear about whether or not he supports a federal nationwide ban, although i think we have to assume that now he is not supporting that. the reality about this election going into it is that there are two other really, really keyissues there are two other really, really key issues on peoples minds, that is the economy and the issue of immigration, which has really exploded in a way that the democratic administration is finding very, very hard to tame as a political issue. abortion, yes it is very important. it will affect
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voters, particularly in those suburban areas in marginal swing states that will be very decisive in this election. but it is not up there across the country as really there across the country as really the top two issues driving at the moment. ., a, ., ., , moment. tom bateman, life for us in washington- — moment. tom bateman, life for us in washington. thank— moment. tom bateman, life for us in washington. thank you _ moment. tom bateman, life for us in washington. thank you very - moment. tom bateman, life for us in washington. thank you very much. i washington. thank you very much. around the world and across the uk you are watching bbc news. —— tom bateman, lives for us in washington.
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you are live with bbc news. now to the story that's been described as the biggest miscarriage in british history. the post office minister has said people responsible for the horizon it scandal should go to jail if there is evidence of wrongdoing. the public inquiry into the scandal will resume this week, with senior post office bosses among those called to give evidence. more than 900 sub—postmasters were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 due to supposed losses flagged by the faulty it system used in its branches. this is kevin hollinrake
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speaking to the bbc today. where evidence has been established and people should be prosecuted, thatis and people should be prosecuted, that is my view and i think you and other people i've spoken to, i certainly feel, people within the post office and possibly further afield should go to jail. 0ur correspondent graham satchell has been following the story and had this reaction to those comments from the post office minister. i think it is an interesting intervention because the public inquiry in britain starts again tomorrow, so the timing is interesting. he was speaking in a room full of sub—postmasters who are angry about what has happened to them. they were falsely convicted of stealing money from the post office when in fact there was a faulty computer system and cover—ups high up computer system and cover—ups high up in both fujitsu and the post office. this is the biggest scandal in british corporate history. it is
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unusualfor in british corporate history. it is unusual for a in british corporate history. it is unusualfor a government in british corporate history. it is unusual for a government minister to suggest people should go to jail but i think it shows you where the government is now on this and of course he was saying it is not up to him to decide but he does want the police to investigate and then the courts to decide. ukraine has accused russia of spreading �*fake information�* after moscow blamed kyiv for a drone strike on ukraine's zaporizia nuclear power plant — which is occupied by russian forces. local authorities say, at least 6 people were injured in the attack. the head of the un's atomic watchdog — rafael grossi — says, the attack risked a major nuclear accident. ukraine has denied responsibility. 0ur eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford is in kyiv with more. well, the un's atomic energy watchdog has been talking about a very significant threat and a very significant attack on this nuclear power facility. significant attack on this nuclear powerfacility. he talked
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significant attack on this nuclear power facility. he talked about three direct hits on the facility as he described it. he called it reckless, he said it cannot happen. he thinks a major escalation of the security danger there. we have also seen a report that refers to iea staff on the ground at the power facility. they have spoken about hearing explosions during the day as well as rifle fire. they sought the remnants of drones. they have described that. they also said there were blood stains at one site, which suggests at least one person, one casualty, one person injured there. all of the statements have made clear that there is no structural damage to the power no increased risk from this attack. and in terms of who actually is responsible, well, there is complete confusion on that. the russian officials in charge on the ground are saying this was a ukrainian drone attack. ukraine's military intelligence agency is denying that saying kyiv was not involved, they would not
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endanger the facility and the civilian population. in fact they are blaming russia for that, saying it is an attack carried out by russia in order to blame it on ukraine. but i think it has highlighted the risk around this power plant, which is right on the front line and where there have been since the start of the full—scale invasion numerous inca limo occasions when the atomic nuclear agency has talked about its concerns. but the statement i think today are particularly stark, particular strong.— today are particularly stark, particular strong. sarah rainsford in k iv. 0ne one more story this half hour. her talent was indisputable. now, the life and music of amy winehouse is the subject of a new film, back to black. it follows herjourney to becoming a star, as well as her later struggles with addiction. before this evening's premiere, our culture correspondent, charlotte gallagher, sat down with the film's director and its star. # tried to make me go to rehab, isaid no, no, no.# amy winehouse, a music legend. # no, no...
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# yeah, baby, and the rest. # tried to make me go to rehab. # i said, no, no, no.# now, a new film is telling her story. i was so excited by the idea of, you know, playing and getting in touch with amy — the girl, and then amy the singer — as well as, like, you know, the woman before the icon. i don't write songs to be famous. i write songs because i don't know what i would do if i didn't. and you, physically, transform in the film. and for you, sam, how hard was it to find your amy — someone that can physically resemble amy, but then can
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also sing like her? well, really, it was important, mostly, that i could find someone that wasn't going to impersonate amy~ _ there were many brilliant impersonators and people that looked like her or sounded like her. but marisa came in as herself — was the only one in the audition process, who didn't try to look like her in any way. earrings, eyeliner or anything. a big part of the film is amy's troubled relationship with blake fielder—civil. i didn't meet blake. i wanted to meet blake, but i didn't meet blake. i set out to make the film, like i said, through her perspective. so her love of him, you know, had to be palpable. it had to feel real and we had to understand why she fell in love with him. and so it wasn't about making a sort of one—dimensional villain. we had to fall in love with him to understand why she wrote one of the greatest albums about their love. and... and, for me, really, the villains of the film, you know, it's addiction and paparazzi. and when you actually look back now at the headlines that were written about her, i mean, i was reading one that said, "amy goes to see blake in court, but she can't hide the state of her shocking skin." and it's a picture of someone obviously very unwell. hm, yes. do you think now, obviously, what amy went through, what britney spears went through,
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that maybe we've moved on a bit as a society that people wouldn't be persecuted essentially like that? i don't know. recent news may say different. i felt like we maybe had evolved to this place of maybe that wouldn't happen now, but it feels like it is happening now. # we only said goodbye with words. # i died a hundred times.# what do you think she'd make of the film? i think that she would feel, like, the fact that we've sort i feel like hopefully she would feel proud of it and us. and of herself, too, you know, as a catalogue of her achievements and what it was that she was able to create as a very young woman. the headlines are next on bbc news. hello. monday brought us a mix of weather. some of us had spells of
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warm spring sunshine, other areas were stuck under the cloud and rain all day. a really wet first week of april and the unsettled theme continues. more blustery spells of rain at times but turning a little bit cooler than it has been. low pressure driving our weather at the moment. here it is, gradually easing eastwards through tonight and over the next 2a hours. it will bring more wet and windy weather. thunderstorms initially for the far south—east, they claim northwards and then the bulk of the rain tonight will be northern ireland, scotland, western parts of england and wales. we could see flooding by dawn because the rain is falling and very saturated ground. six to 9 degrees tonight, windy for most of us. through the channel. more rain for tuesday, lingering for scotland, parts of northern england. followed by sunshine and blustery showers from the west. driest parts of southern england through the day. gust of wind a5 miles an hour but
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stronger in the coastal areas. coastal flooding as well. temperatures eight to 12 on tuesday. colder air mass with us for a time through the middle part of the week but later on wednesday the next warm front moves in from the atlantic, bringing warm airand... front moves in from the atlantic, bringing warm air and... cloud increases, the rain moves in and the wind will pick up as well. another unsubtle day, more unwelcome rain for some of us. heaviest in the north west. temperatures ten to 15 for most of us. then we have this lingering front into thursday. not too much rain but a lot of cloud and low fog. brighter skies towards the north. through the day the sunshine should break up the cloud. drier,
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brighter day for many of us and the touch warmer. highs of 19 degrees in norwich and london. 20 degrees possible in the south on friday and saturday ten things turn cooler into next week. let's take you live to bradford in west yorkshire. statement from the police about a manhunt related to a suspected man that they believe murdered and mother on saturday afternoon. this incident has caused a great deal of shock and concern not only in bradford but across the country. on saturday afternoon, 27—year—old woman was stabbed to death in bradford centre. i would first like to say my thoughts in the thoughts of all those within west yorkshire police are with her family and
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friends at this incredibly difficult time. we have a suspect in this investigation who details have been widely circulated and we are doing everything in our power to locate him. we have been overwhelmed with public support and i would like to thank everyone who has so far assisted with their investigation. i will now go through everything we know about saturday's incident on the steps we have taken since. there will be time for a small number of questions at the end. on saturday 6th of april, shortly before 3:20pm, a woman was walking bradford city centre. she was with her young baby at this time he was walking along westgate when she was stabbed, attacked and stabbed multiple times. emergency services were called at 3:21pm. however, despite the best efforts of members of the public, ambulance crews and hospital staff, she sadly lost her life due to the
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