this is bbc news. the headlines: officials in four occupied regions in ukraine have been holding referendums on whether to become part of the russian federation. the kremlin supports the vote, but given western nations have said they are a sham and would be recognised. written�*s finance minister has defended the government's plans to boost the economy, insisting they are not a gamble. he said massive tax cuts are fairfor all, a gamble. he said massive tax cuts are fair for all, despite the highest earners gaining the most. tax cuts were paid for by extra borrowing. the syrian health minister says more than

70 people have drowned after carrying migrants sank. about 20 survivors are being treated in hospital. survivors say the boat set off from the northern lab and on with more than 100 people on—board on tuesday. —— lebanon. now on bbc news, it's click. this week, we are back in berlin as europe's largest tech show powers up.— show powers up. yes, we will ulide show powers up. yes, we will glide through _ show powers up. yes, we will glide through the _ show powers up. yes, we will glide through the holes - show powers up. yes, we will glide through the holes to - show powers up. yes, we will| glide through the holes to see what is big, new and bonkers. what are you doing? multitasking. what are you doing? multitaskinu. ~ . ., ., multitasking. meanwhile, lara

has been to — multitasking. meanwhile, lara has been to the _ multitasking. meanwhile, lara has been to the british - has been to the british seaside. not on holiday though. i have been looking at how 56 is looking to make our coastline safer. and robot floors! vacuum bolts being put to the test. ., ,., vacuum bolts being put to the test. ., ., ., , ., ., test. our robot now has a tail. i'm not sure — test. our robot now has a tail. i'm not sure that _ test. our robot now has a tail. i'm not sure that was - test. our robot now has a tail. i'm not sure that was the - test. our robot now has a tail. i'm not sure that was the aim. it is big, brash, bright, bald, really big! and it is back. did i mention it is big? sat in the heart of berlin, efa is the largest tech expo in europe and for the first time in such a long time i got to come back to the coolest city in the world to see what is cooking. efa is back to its heady mix of silliness and practicality, a place where your fridge could be part of a massive light show, with colour changing panels and a party mode. your

garden is also now portable and lives indoors. those could do with the water though. and, yes, they do go big on the washing machines, either that or i have shrunk in the wash. disinfection robot. all right, i am disinfected, thank you. here is adept, if you are ever asked to do an photo, to launch yourself into the air, it always makes you look good. i have really missed this place. we used to come here every year to take the temperature of the tech world in the summer. i would say after a couple of years on ice it is definitely warming up again, with a few old favourites being reheated. although some do have a new twist. here is some songs odyssey arc, a curved screen that can be used in landscape or portrait mode for a different all—encompassing view, and for those who don't know whether they actually want

the curved screen or not, the allergy oled plaques will be out later this year to bend to your bill. we were wondering how these products would go both pandemic and it would be still want to fly from all of the world and gather in one place or i'll we happy to do our business and product launches online my list is mr in january, launches online my list is mr injanuary, the of the show was decidedly smaller and quieter, but i would say that while efa definitely had fewer visitors, the chairman told me the show was up to about 85 or of was up to about 85 or 90% of pre— size. was up to about 85 or 9096 of pre- - size-- pre- pandemic size. we all have learned in _ pre- pandemic size. we all have learned in i that - learned in the pandemic that goes online tools very goes online tools work very well but we have also learned that we missed a handshake. there is a longing for personal interaction, especially when making new contacts, especially here when you have a need for haptic and tactile products, actually, and this is the reason why we are doing it.

yes, the show is back on its feetjust in time for the next crisis. ., feetjust in time for the next crisis. . , ., , , crisis. year in germany energy is a big question, _ is a big question, cost—of—living is a big question for consumer alec chronic companies here, they werejust starting to chronic companies here, they were just starting to get to grips with the supply chain issues, component shortages, thatis issues, component shortages, that is starting to ease up and now we have another body blow for them. , , , , for them. the biggest issue han . in . for them. the biggest issue hanging over— for them. the biggest issue hanging over is _ for them. the biggest issue hanging over is a _ for them. the biggest issue hanging over is a massive l for them. the biggest issue - hanging over is a massive trade show persuading us to spend money on stuff that uses energy is right now where we are a bit short of money, and energy. around own halls worth of ifa were dedicated to the smart homework traditionally meant plugging in of your life bits that didn't previously need to be plugged in, which is why many of the big names here were keen to attach a particular word to the product. sustainability. sustainability.

sustainability. _ sustainability. sustainability. the argument is that now those that are connected to the grid can help you control your energy consumption leading to smarter power management. we see if manufacturers of devices help you to control the climate when the window is open, it automatically sends a message to the smart phone and it turns down the hiddink. great idea perhaps, but let's not forget they are not new ideas. but they do seem more relevant right now.— relevant right now. one of the big overarching _ relevant right now. one of the big overarching themes - relevant right now. one of the big overarching themes of - relevant right now. one of the big overarching themes of the | big overarching themes of the show has been environment and sustainability but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that we have come here on an aeroplane, we are sitting in air—conditioned buildings. i do feel for the first time it is a story getting more prominence and therefore every company has to have a story. the problem is, you have to cut through this desire to do green rinsing or greenwashing on what actually real.—

actually real. there are definite _ actually real. there are definite attempts - actually real. there are definite attempts to . actually real. there are definite attempts to bej actually real. there are - definite attempts to be green here. well, there is some greenery about, anyway. i'm just not sure this is enough to solve the energy crisis. but, in amongst the weeds there was some definite energy positives. this is the eco— faux delta which consists of the solar panel here and one of these three boxes. what is interesting on a bright, sunny day, the solar panels can charge this box here in about four hours and give you 3600 watts hours, which means you can keep your fridge watts hours, which means you can keep yourfridge running for about 1.5 days, maybe even two days. it uses a fast charging lfp four battery system, like those used by tesla, and like many ideas that originated before the current energy crisis it's time may just have come.— energy crisis it's time may just have come. people are lookin: just have come. people are looking for— just have come. people are looking for these _ just have come. people are l looking for these renewable, safe, sustainable solutions to

generate their own power to store it and to use it. we have the global situation, right, store it and to use it. we have the globalsituation, right, of higher energy costs, globally, energy and security, so in a lot of regions in the world, power isn't a very secure a feature, you have outages a lot, you have prices everywhere in the world, so more and more it becomes, let's say, consumers and people start to think, "ok, and what other way do i have to have my own secure power generation, independently from any grid customer" rate was not from any provider. 50 was not from any provider. so ou was not from any provider. so you could give essentials going for a few hours during a blackout, but with a maximum output of 1800 watts, you could blow it all, literally, on some high—powered necessities. just don't get these two the wrong way round. i don't get these two the wrong way round-_ way round. i bet that is the closest you _ way round. i bet that is the closest you have _ way round. i bet that is the closest you have been - way round. i bet that is the closest you have been to i way round. i bet that is the - closest you have been to either of those tools.— closest you have been to either of those tools. you know me too well. we will _ of those tools. you know me too well. we will be _ of those tools. you know me too well. we will be back _ of those tools. you know me too well. we will be back at - of those tools. you know me too well. we will be back at ifa - well. we will be back at ifa late in the programme. the only thing i really missed this year

was you, but you have been to the great british seaside instead. yes, i have been to dorset which is beautiful and hopefully made safer thanks to sg. hopefully made safer thanks to 5g. every year, around 22 million people flock to the spectacularjurassic coast in the south of england. public safety is a serious concern, whether it is hiking along the coast or swimming whether it is hiking along the coast orswimming in whether it is hiking along the coast or swimming in the sea, huge crowds at a wild location means a serious incidents are inevitable. it wasn't so long ago that if you got yourself into trouble you needed to make your appear to use this, but now 5g has connected the coast. and the initiative to save lives starts out at sea, with the world's first 5g connected

the world�*sfirstsgconnected recording tidal buoys, recording tidal conditions, recorded back with speeds recorded times speeds recorded times faster. recorded eight times faster. it enables reel-time _ eight times faster. it enables real-time decision-making. i eight times faster. it enables i real-time decision-making. any real—time decision—making. any changes, — real—time decision—making. any changes, sonnet changes, the weather, _ changes, sonnet changes, the weather, we can be notified, people — weather, we can be notified, people can help keep safety and make _ people can help keep safety and make sure people are utilising the coastal environment sensibly. the coastal environment sensibly-— the coastal environment sensibl . , , sensibly. these buoys offer more than _ sensibly. these buoys offer more than sensor- sensibly. these buoys offer more than sensor data, - more than sensor data, aquaculture, farming at sea is aquaculture, farming at sea is a growing part of dorset�*s a growing part at dorset]? " ' ' sg the w the buoys, cameras underneath the buoys, and you have cameras underneath the buoys, and you ha of seaweed growth monitoring of seaweed growth and also make sure that no—one steals it! believe it or not, people do steal— believe it or not, people do steal that kind of crop along the jurassic coast, and we are feeding — the jurassic coast, and we are feeding those images via high definition cameras into an ai algorithm which is analysing the growth rate and saying, is the growth rate and saying, is the seaweed developing at the rate we — the seaweed developing at the rate we would expect it to? and — rate we would expect it to? and the _ rate we would expect it to? and the data connected by the

buoysis and the data connected by the buoys is also transmitted via 56 buoys is also transmitted via 5g due connected signs dotted along the coastline, providing potentially life—saving real—time information for visitors. the buoys are sending information like the sea temperature, the citystate, wave — temperature, the citystate, wave hired, and goes to connected signs. the whole point — connected signs. the whole point really is to give people an outcast rather than a forecast _ an outcast rather than a forecast of what conditions are like in — forecast of what conditions are like in the _ forecast of what conditions are like in the water. the _ like in the water. the connected signs also have football counters to relay real—time data to emergency services to prevent overcrowding. and with millions of annual visitors coming to a spot with limited connectivity, the sg spot with limited connectivity, the 5g network could make a vital difference. if you come down to the beach here _ if you come down to the beach here there is no cellular connectivity, which is quite annoying. if you come here for the day— annoying. if you come here for the day to— annoying. if you come here for the day to play with your kids or whatever but actually from a public — or whatever but actually from a public safety point of view it presents real challenges and can really be the difference

between saving lives or not. and — between saving lives or not. and while erosion has helped shape this stunning coastline it can also be dangerous. sensors have been installed along the coast that use the 5g network to track ground movement.— network to track ground movement. ., , , movement. we also using 5g technologies _ movement. we also using 5g technologies to _ movement. we also using 5g technologies to connect - movement. we also using 5g i technologies to connect sensors along _ technologies to connect sensors along the — technologies to connect sensors along the jurassic coast. it a very— along the jurassic coast. it a very unstable, it arose quite quickly~ _ very unstable, it arose quite quickly. that is what makes it so stunningly beautiful. if we can use — so stunningly beautiful. if we can use that connectivity to monitor— can use that connectivity to monitor the movement of the land — monitor the movement of the land and _ monitor the movement of the land and make sure that we can make _ land and make sure that we can make changes to the way that we manage _ make changes to the way that we manage the coast as a result of that information, that data, that— that information, that data, that is— that information, that data, that is good for local people and the _ that is good for local people and the visitors who come. so whether 56 network that so whether 5g network that connects sensors out at sea in the cliffs and i'm sure, there's a coastline has been revamped for the 21st century, letting visitors enjoy and explore this landscape, safely.

in this we's tech news, ride hailing giant uber is investigating a hack to its computer networks, saying several internal communications and engineering systems have been compromised after a hacker showed the new york times they had access to e—mails, cloud storage and code archives. videos and images from the next instalment of the grand theft auto franchise have been linked online. the long—awaited game will be the next in the series following 2013's grand theft auto five, which is the second bestselling videogame of all time. the hacker claims to have the game's source code as well. the source code is literally the thing that runs the game, the thing that runs the game, the nuts and bolts of the game, if you like, and if that has been linked it means that rockstar�*s rivals could

potentially look under the bonnet of the game and see how it works, potentially still some of the trademark ideas that make it successful. twitch has announced it will ban gambling sites including slots, roulette or ice games from mid october unless they are licensed in the us or other jurisdictions that provide sufficient consumer protection. sony's announced plans to start developing its own brand of hearing aids. the devices which will be available over the counter are designed to be able to pick up noise as naturally as contact lenses. at tech expo is like the assembly new will find all sorts, big and small and weird and wonderful and while there was not a lot that was brand, brand—new this year, we were able to check in with some technologies we have had our eyes on for a while. we have seen glasses like these get

better and better over the years. i'm currently playing a playstation five game. it's completely taking over my vision so i cannot see you but if i want to see what is going around, i can go full sci—fi bar guy. this is not augmented reality, no motion tracking so i cannot walk around the room and see objects hanging and sticking in this is compatible with pretty much anything that you can connect through a usb see cable, so i am off for a drive! overtime, see cable, so i am off for a drive! over time, you will see previously groundbreaking technology becoming mainstream at these events. you mayjust come across the next big thing as well, if you walk the floors for long enough. mind you, they don cleanup flaws these days. this is what happens when these things breed! look, they are

all over the place! how do the latest robot vacuums shape up? time to compare some of the best. this is chris woakes with a review. a sweeping review! welcome to top of the bots, where putting four through their paces on the assault course to see the cleans up! have a look at the first one. we will be testing them against a hand—held unit. can the bots beat it? there are many different features built into each of these vacuums that can be used to tailor your cleaning experience but today we are

only planning to test the most basic functions, completely un— scientifically, we will turn on and press go! let's check out the obstacle course. first up we have some pet hair and we're trotting that into the carpet. over here, we have soil. over here, we have an obstacle, a chair and we will see if the bots will get under there. in then a few extras over here, some toys and a phone charger. and one final challenge, we will cover the whole course in glitter! let the challenge begin! and they are off! this one has made a beeline for the messiest corner with dirt and glitter. we are not testing it yet but this vacuum also has a setting that helps it detect areas that need more suction to clean, and it can also mop the floor. the section on this one

looks very strong. this vacuum has two types of attachable arms to clean different services and cameras that help navigate obstacles. and this one help map out the space on its first run around the room, not picking up too much debt in the process. this vacuum can deposit dust in the bin and uses ai deposit dust in the bin and uses al to help it avoid obstacle detected through the inbuilt camera. in this one has run into trouble propriety early on. gobbled them up like pacman. this vacuum has mopping and dust collection features. but it wasn't the only one tripped up by the toys! it hasn't actually sucked them up. this one ran into trouble, two. the robot now has a tail! and this one ran into the same problem. let's take that out.

the eye robot did not attempt a full clean until we set up a companion app. and that is this one heading back to base, taking the charging cable with it as well. give it back! ok, so this one has finished but there still is a lot of glitter and mud. and that is this one done and even though got caught on pretty much every obstacle we left out, it has done a very good job of cleaning. and this one has gone back to base and taken the charging cable all the way with it and even sent me a photo of the charging cable to the phone saying it detected an obstacle. you can see a lot of glitter in the corners over there, and the dog hair. now we're going to pit all the against this hand—held dyson.

i'm cleaning up really quickly and effectively here and sometimes if you want a good job doing it is best to do it yourself! ifeel like it was quicker than using a robot and i didn't get anything tangled up i didn't get anything tangled up in the obstacles but my back is sore! ifeel like up in the obstacles but my back is sore! i feel like all the vacuum cleaners actually did a fairly good job at picking up a lot of the dirt. there was always a bit of glitter left over but these were never going to be as strong as one of these hand—held vacuum cleaners. chris there, proving the robots are not taking over, unfortunately for his back! before we leave you, let's go back to the expo in berlin where spencer has found a friend. ,, ~' , where spencer has found a friend._ how| where spencer has found a - friend._ how could friend. she likes me? how could she not? as _ friend. she likes me? how could she not? as long _ friend. she likes me? how could she not? as long as _ friend. she likes me? how could she not? as long as she - friend. she likes me? how could she not? as long as she doesn't| she not? as long as she doesn't leak oil on _ she not? as long as she doesn't leak oil on the _ she not? as long as she doesn't leak oil on the sofa _ she not? as long as she doesn't leak oil on the sofa and - she not? as long as she doesn't leak oil on the sofa and there i leak oil on the sofa and there was even something to you if you are one of the old—fashioned type the likes of very friends to be... real! it is a pet dryer, a dryerfor

your pets. yeah, i'm not convinced either. but seeing these crazy ideas on the show floor did give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. that is so good! stop, don't stop! stop it now, don't stop! it is hard work, all right! as i said, you can find everything here, from the frivolous to the much more important. if i were to say to you jabra, earphones and earbuds and it actually has its origin in hearing aids and that is what i'm wearing right now. these are the enhanced pass and they are some of the first self fitting hearing aids, meaning you don't have to got away specialist to get them configured for you. i'm using a hearing test in the iphone app and these let you stream music and these let you stream music

and make calls from your bluetooth iphone as well. they are designed for people who should wear hearing aids but really do not want to. so you wear these out and about and it looks like you are just wearing earbuds. wish i had shaved my ears this morning! does everyone want you everywhere at once? do you need a virtual customer service assistant who looks more human? i'm having my photo taken because i'm about to be cologne. this korean company specialising avatars that speak different languages and perform gestures on the fly. —— cloned. and perform gestures on the fly. -- cloned.— and perform gestures on the fly. -- cloned. sometimes you have to hire — fly. -- cloned. sometimes you have to hire a _ fly. -- cloned. sometimes you have to hire a model— fly. -- cloned. sometimes you have to hire a model and - fly. -- cloned. sometimes you have to hire a model and edit. have to hire a model and edit but now— have to hire a model and edit but now we canjust do have to hire a model and edit but now we can just do all of that— but now we can just do all of that process. all but now we can 'ust do all of that process._ that process. all you need is one photo — that process. all you need is one photo of— that process. all you need is one photo of your _ that process. all you need is one photo of your face - that process. all you need is one photo of your face and l that process. all you need is one photo of your face and a system pit onto a virtual version of you which can then step in when you are out. it is just your face, step in when you are out. it is just yourface, mind step in when you are out. it is just your face, mind that it

fits to one of the preprogrammed body types and styles. i am preprogrammed body types and styles. iam imagining it is preprogrammed body types and styles. i am imagining it is a dark, rainy night. my car has broken down in a knock on the front door of the nearest mansion and it is opened by that lady, and ijust run! the result? i would say it needs more work. now i have a client, i can take the rest of the week off! and while that totally believable version of me fields my call, i head off to their next multisensory dome. there is a giant truck going by... and i can feel it rambling. thanks for the vest. yes, it is a haptic vest which vibrates when the experience demands more sensation. also... now i am sitting with a lady on a chair. she is asking me to sniff a piece of chocolate cake. ok, iwill! ican

certainly smell something. is that chocolate? i think that is probably chocolate. i'm having all my senses stimulated here! my all my senses stimulated here! my nose is being tickled by sense emitted by the smell ball which only slightly reminds me of the interrogation in star wars. ., of the interrogation in star wars. . , ., of the interrogation in star wars. . ., ., ., wars. imagine you are home or the office _ wars. imagine you are home or the office any — wars. imagine you are home or the office any put _ wars. imagine you are home or the office any put on _ wars. imagine you are home or the office any put on the - wars. imagine you are home or the office any put on the vr - the office any put on the vr ads you _ the office any put on the vr ads you have the wind and the smell— ads you have the wind and the smell and _ ads you have the wind and the smell and you have the feeling you are — smell and you have the feeling you are in _ smell and you have the feeling you are in the mall dives. if you really do need transporting somewhere else, here is a city transformer micro car, an can change to and an here is the flow possibly :he flow possibly :he coolest/ possibly :he coolest way carry possibly :he coolest way carry possib around >olest way carry possib around the st way

carry pos pulsing |d the st way warehouse, pulsing blue lights it? included! 7 ’ 7 warehouse, pulsing blue lights it? included! it’ ’ 7 warehouse, pulsing blue lights 5?t included! it really ’ t warehouse, pulsing blue lights 5?t included! it really has ’ t are not included! it really has been a wild ride this year! l—ésa5:§?t5 plenty of challenges there are plenty of challenges ahead for all of us, so i don't think it is wise to make any predictions at the moment. but think it is wise to make any predictioi whatever1oment. but think it is wise to make any predictioi whatever happens, ut i'm sure, whatever happens, some entrepreneur somewhere will have an answer for it! and i'm afraid that if it from the expo 2022. it is so good to be back. i keep on saying it, keep on being thank you for on being true. thank you for watching, see you soon. hello.

the autumn equinox happened on friday and saturday is going to be ourfirst full day of autumn. the skies are pretty clear the moment and the weekend, how's it looking? actually not too bad. there will be a few showers around, but predominantly sunny spells. so, this is what it looks like out there right now. yes, a few showers around, but generally clear across most of the uk through the early hours of saturday, and the temperatures ranging from close to freezing in the scottish glens, around ten in liverpool and 12 degrees in the south. now, recently in the southeast, it has been pretty cloudy and wet because of a stubborn weather front, but the thinking is that weather front should be out of the picture in the english channel and across france early on saturday morning. but there is a possibility it could be cloudy, if not damp, in the extreme southeast. elsewhere across the country, we're waking up to sunny spells, and i think through the course of the afternoon, we'll see showers developing — quite well scattered across england and wales. but in scotland and northern ireland, it should be

a predominantly dry day. here, temperatures will range from 12 degrees in the northern isles, 16 in glasgow, in the south, still around 18. that was saturday, this is sunday's weather forecast. a lot of sunshine, particularly across england and wales, but watch this cold front sweep into northern and western scotland later in the day. the winds will increase, and that heralds a change, a change into next week. we'll have a look at that in a second. first, i want to update you on hurricane fiona, which has just passed to the west of bermuda and it is heading towards nova scotia and also newfoundland, and the effects of this storm are likely to be very significant around the canadian maritimes. when the storm hits, it'll no longer be a truly tropical hurricane. it'll sort of turn into more of a mid—latitude weather system, but the strength of the wind will still be blowing at hurricane force, and waves around coastal areas are forecast to reach 10, even 12 metres of ferocious weather there, the other side of the atlantic.

but over in our neck of the woods, we are expecting a colder plunge of air on monday following a cold front. if you look at the forecast here, 13 degrees in aberdeen and edinburgh probably as well, and cardiff, mid—teens expected and similar values there in london. have a good weekend.

welcome to bbc news. i'm tim wilcox. our top stories: russian—occupied regions in ukraine hold referendums on whether tojoin the russian federation. ukraine says it's a sham which is doomed to fail. this is a spontaneous display of love for vladimir and choreographed z 5 choreographed error give the the whole country is that the whole country is behind the president. markets around the world take