this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. i'm lewis vaughanjones and these are the latest headlines. aid agencies call for better access to the earthquake disaster zones from turkey to syria as the number of people killed in both countries rises to more than 25,000. over on that side of the border, there is the constant sound of sirens, of heavy machinery, of people working. there is none of that here. down there are small children removing the rubble. the united nations estimates the earthquakes may have left nearly five and a half million people homeless in syria. the government there says it will allow aid to be delivered to rebel—held parts of the country. people are still being pulled out alive from under the rubble in turkey, more than 120 hours after the first earthquake struck.

the un aid chief calls the scale of the disaster — and the response to it — unprecedented. what is so amazing is that people are still coming out of the rubble alive six days in. so it's shocking. it's also, in a perverse sense, quite heartening. this is the scene live in southern turkey as rescuers continue their painstaking search for survivors. we'll bring you all the latest developments from our correspondents who are there. in other news, us fighterjets shoot down an unidentified aircraft over alaska, after president biden gave the order to "seek and destroy". hundreds of thousands of people hold protests across france over pension reform plans which include raising the retirement age to 62 from 64. 13 men and two women have been arrested following clashes with police, outside a hotel providing refuge for asylum seekers on merseyside in northwest england.

# 0n the chaise longue, on the chaise longue # 0n the chaise longue all day long # 0n the chaise longue...# celebrating uk music — indie band wet leg and singer harry styles lead the way with four nominations each for tonight's brit awards. welcome to the programme. we begin of course with the events in syria and turkey. the number of people now known to have died in the earthquakes which struck turkey and syria has passed 25,000. these are live pictures, it has just gone 7pm, the light has faded but

the rescue and recovery efforts continue. we saw earlier today in the daylight, the turkish president erdogan speaking to reporters, saying perhaps 80,000 people had been injured in his country, as well as the devastation to buildings. also arriving in the last few hours, the humanitarian aid chief, martin griffiths, who has spoken about some of the challenges. 0ne challenge in particular is the difference in getting aid into parts of turkey and getting aid into parts of turkey and getting it into northern syria. 0ur correspondent quentin sommerville is in harem in the northwest idlib province of syria, which is rebel—controlled. listen to him describe the difference in the aid effort there. this is the town of harem in north—west syria. there is a bit of activity here, but nothing like you see there in terms of activity on the other side, on the turkish side of the border. the border is literally just across that hill.

the people here have lost about 700 buildings. another 4,000 or so are unsafe. so they are living in tents, and if we just swing around here, you can perhaps see the internally displaced people's camp that has been set up over there. they are also telling us that in terms of foreign aid, they have received next to nothing. some spanish doctors made it to some of their hospitals, but nothing else. the contrast here with what is going on in turkey is astonishing. over on that side of the border, there is the constant sound of sirens, of heavy machinery, of people working. there is none of that here. down there are small children removing the rubble. while the international community isn't here, it is being left to small boys to remove the rubble from these broken buildings and to try and find bodies. and it is bodies they are trying to find now because they say that the time for looking for survivors has passed here, that that passed 2a hours ago.

this is mainly a recovery mission, they are no longer rescuing people, and the reason they are no longer rescuing people is because the aid just didn't come quick enough. that was quentin on the syrian side of the border. just on the other side of the border in turkey is our chief international correspondent lyse doucet who has been speaking to the un humanitarian chief martin griffiths. let's listen to their conversation. martin griffiths, you have seen so many disasters in so many different parts of the world. how does this compare? i think it is the worst natural disaster i have ever seen. and it is also the most extraordinary international response, as you know. we have more than 100 countries who have sent people here, so there's been an incredible response. but there is a need for it, as we see behind us. and what is so amazing is that people are still, as you know, lyse,

coming out of the rubble alive six days in. so it is shocking. it is also, in a perverse sense, quite heartening. heartening in what way? well, the response. the response. the fact that the people with great expertise who got here very quickly, committed, working day and night to do what is needed. that is remarkable and i hope that when we launch our appeals for both turkey and syria in the next day or so that we will get the generous donor response as well. what do they need the most now? what they need the most now is to come to a conclusion as to when they call off the rescue efforts, which is a really difficult question because of who is left behind. then, i think, as tedros from the who has said, really worried about medical next, particularly in north—west syria, where we have cholera already. but medical facilities here are obviously overwhelmed, as you know, so there is a huge need for urgent

medical care, mobile clinics, field hospitals. i think the united kingdom is sending in a field hospital, for example. and then the period of humanitarian aid, the next three months, for which we are appealing, which will cover shelter, livelihoods, food, nutrition and health care. and so, to give people a sense, those people who have had to leave their homes, that there is a stable future, awaiting them, even in this awful time. do you think there is a stable future awaiting them? you know how hard it is to raise money in a world where there is one disaster after another. well, i think it is going to be very difficult. it is going to be very difficult because there are a lot of needs on both sides and i think, as president erdogan has said, it is going to take a year to rebuild some of the houses... that is optimistic. i think it is optimistic. and in syria, it is going to be much more difficult. the tragedy about syria is it was bad enough

in the north—west, as you know... the last rebel held area of syria. the last rebel—held area. ..bad enough before this and then all this came. i think we can raise consciousness and money, just as we have seen the response here. we'll see. we'll see how those appeals go. but at least the agencies we are working with, the international agencies, the ngos and national ngos, we all know each other well, we have been working together for many years in this region. that is an advantage. there's been a lot of criticism of the un across the border in syria, particularly in idlib province, they are saying, "you are letting politics get in the way of humanitarian relief because you're not there on the ground." distant whistling. distant shouting. well, we're not there on the ground, as you know, because the security council has only allowed a cross—border resolution these many years, which provides for un aid to go through a single crossing and to be delivered to the organisations there. this is not new.

this is eight years old. why does that have to be there? why do you have to go through the security council? why should the humanitarian needs to be hostage to the gridlock of the security council? russia and china can veto the un security council. that is a long story, it is to do with the syrian government's claims for sovereignty, but i want to say this on that issue. i don't think it is right to give up hope that we will get access. we are looking very, very actively and firmly and hard for opening up two more crossing points... through turkey into... through turkey into the north—west, in the coming days. we are going to put a resolution before the security council. if anybody wants to veto it, let them do so. the case for those two additional crossing points is a black and white humanitarian case. this is not politics, lyse, and people who say we are playing with politics,

that is not fair. that was martin griffiths talking to lyse doucet, there. we believe the coverage on turkey and syria for the moment. —— we will leave. the united states is trying to recover the debris of an unidentified object which was shot down as it flew over alaska's north coast. a pentagon spokesman said the object was unmanned, and about the size of a small car. it comes almost a week after the us military brought down what it says was a chinese spy balloon. jon donnison reports. it's almost a week since the us military shot down what it said was a chinese spy balloon off the coast of south carolina. now the pentagon says fighterjets like these have intercepted another unidentified object, this time in the skies above alaska. we have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose, or origin. the object was about the size of a small car, so not similar

in size or shape to the high altitude surveillance balloon that was taken down off the coast of south carolina on february 4th. defence officials say this latest object had been flying at around 40,000 feet close to an area called prudhoe bay, much lower than last week's balloon. a military transporter plane, as well as helicopters, have now been sent to try and recover the debris. the biden administration came under a great deal of political criticism, particularly from republicans in congress and elsewhere, for not dealing with that last balloon more quickly. and i think it's no surprise that when they found an opportunity to take a shot at whatever this was over alaskan waters, they did so, presumably one consideration being that this was to avoid the potential circus of yet another foreign object transiting the continental united states for days or weeks. wreckage of last week's balloon has now been recovered, and is being analysed by us intelligence.

they want to do the same with whatever they find in alaska. meanwhile, chinese officials have accused the us of political manipulation and hype. jon donnison, bbc news. trade unions in france have been leading thousands of protesters for a fourth round of nationwide demonstrations against pension reforms on saturday. the protests have been taking place since mid—january over the government's plans to increase the retirement age by two years to 64. president emmanuel macron says the current system is unsustainable. 0ur correspondent hugh schofield is in paris. what schofield is in paris. has been happening there tod well, what has been happening there today? well, you join me in the eastern part of paris, the procession, the

march is going behind me, as you can see, the plus tell a republic is that way, a big turnout, the cgt, the main hardline unit is talking about half a million people on the streets of paris but we can take that with a massive pinch of salt and probably divide it by five, 100,000 but even so, a big turnout and what the unions hope to do by having demonstrations today, a saturday, was to get out people who don't normally demonstrate in the week because they don't want to go on strike and lose a day's pay. 0n week because they don't want to go on strike and lose a day's pay. on a saturday, the idea is you get more families and more ordinary working people from the private sector to join it and i think they are going to say it has paid off because there are an awful lot of people out here and in other towns and cities, joining the movement against the plan to push back against the age of retirement. �* , ., retirement. let's get into the details of _ retirement. let's get into the details of that _ retirement. let's get into the details of that because - retirement. let's get into the i details of that because although retirement. let's get into the - details of that because although 62 and 64 are broadly similar to some

countries, many countries in western europe, the retirement age is already significantly higher than that. , �* , ., , already significantly higher than that. , �*, ., ., that. yes, there's lots to unravel in that question. _ that. yes, there's lots to unravel in that question. we _ that. yes, there's lots to unravel in that question. we talk- that. yes, there's lots to unravel in that question. we talk about l that. yes, there's lots to unravel. in that question. we talk about 62 and 64 as if that is when everyone stops working and of course it is not, these are the ages at which people can for the first time claim a state pension, they can stop work at that age. it does not mean they will get a full pension because they may not have bought enough years, enough annuities, as they call it here. so what the government is doing is trying to push back the age at which people can stop working from 62 to 64 and the argument from people on the left and it is people on the left who are out here today is that this favours the people who are better off and more qualified because they tend to start work later because they are students until their mid—20s, so they were not retiring at 62 anyway, they were retiring at 64 and they may be working to 66 or 67 to get their

full pension. but for people who start working earlier, those less qualified and poorer people, they are going to be hit by the compulsory pushing back of the age of retirement. that is what is motivating this protest, social justice, in a word, and of course a great anti emmanuel macron feeling which unites everybody in the demonstration because a large part of the popular asian views him as a hate figure, quite simply. let’s hate figure, quite simply. let's focus on macron, _ hate figure, quite simply. let's focus on macron, then, - hate figure, quite simply. let's focus on macron, then, how. hate figure, quite simply. let's focus on macron, then, how damaging is this for him? i focus on macron, then, how damaging is this for him?— is this for him? i think arguably it would be more _ is this for him? i think arguably it would be more damaging - is this for him? i think arguably it would be more damaging if- is this for him? i think arguably it would be more damaging if he i is this for him? i think arguably it i would be more damaging if he gave is this for him? i think arguably it - would be more damaging if he gave up because his selling point is that he is a reformer. this reform is going through parliament as we speak, almost, the debates are continuing at the national assembly. it won't take long to get through the national assembly because he is using a procedure which will cut off debate at the end of next week which means that in a few weeks' time, this could be on the statute book. that is why the unions are saying, we may have to up our game and upped

the stakes. they have staged a series of protests but there is no impact at all so far on the government. the unions are saying the government is in tragedy and i'm not listening and disregarding its overriding will of the people —— is intransigent. you see lots of effigies of macron as an emperor or a king from the prerevolutionary times. they are saying he is simply not listening to them but arguably, if he does not go through with this and waters down the reform to the point where it is not recognisable any more, which some fear is what is happening already, then he will come out as a non—reformer and will have lost the support of everyone here as well. he can come out of this sort of relatively well if he sees it through but people are watching very carefully on this site to see whether he will give in and on the other side to see whether he waters down the reforms so the cost savings it is intended to bring about don't occur at all. it is intended to bring about don't occur at all-— 15 people, aged between 13 and 54,

have been arrested following violent disorder outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in knowsley on friday night. crowds gathered near the suites hotel, and a police van was set on fire. nick garnett reports. flames light up the dark as a police van is set on fire. initially peaceful, eventually violent, the protest called after claims about the behaviour of some people staying at the hotel towards young girls living locally. some rooms at the suites hotel have been used to house people seeking asylum. but as fighting broke out between protesters, counter—protesters and the police, all those inside could do was watch what was happening below as officers tried to restore calm. stones, bottles and bricks rained down. hundreds of protesters were involved. a number of arrests were made for public order offences and criminal damage. eventually, after more officers were drafted in and local roads were temporarily closed, police were able to

disperse the crowd. well, this is what the van looks like now. now the police are withdrawing, things have calmed down and the roads are being cleared. but rebuilding relationships here — well, that's going to take a lot longer. as most police withdrew from the area and the roads were cleared of debris, half a dozen vans with officers and police dogs spent the night inside the hotel gates to make sure things remained calm. nick garnett, bbc news, knowsley. and we've had an update on this story from the uk home office. a spokesman said... "the scenes outside the hotel and violence toward police officers last night by a group of people in merseyside were totally unacceptable." "we are working closely with merseyside police and partners on the ground to ensure the safety of those in our care and the wider community."

the brit awards — celebrating uk music — are taking place this evening for the first time since they began in 1977. harry styles and the indie band, wet leg, lead the way with four nominations each. we will see who wins and who doesn't. 0ur music correspondent mark savage has been speaking to some of the nominees. and the winner is... the winner is... the brit awards, the biggest night of the year for uk music. adele! i want to thank everybody, everyone over there, i love you all. sam fender. by now, we are used to seeing pop stars lifting trophies, but for a brand new act... shut up! you're joking! ..finding out you've been nominated can be life—changing. # keep on running through these red flags...# this year's nominees include lizzo, the 1975, beyonce and mimi webb, who's up for best new artist.

oh, i couldn't believe it. i was so inspired when, like, dupa lipa won best new artist and i remember watching it and saying to my mum, "i'm gonna do that. "i'm gonna get that nomination and i'm going to go one day," so just to kind of have that full—circle moment and, yeah, it's just — it's quite emotional, you know? and you broke the news quite sneakily to your mum? i've got something to tell you. you all right? i've just — i've just been nominated as the best new artist at the brit awards. sorry? say that again. the best new artist at the brit awards — i've been nominated. oh, my god! oh, my god — i've got goose bumps! oh, come here! she didn't expect it and she was just shocked and, like, even now, every day, i get phone calls about it. like, she's like, "oh," like, she's just so excited and i think she just can't believe it as well. hey, how are you guys doing? you all right? comedian mo gilligan is hosting the awards for a second time. he says it's hard not to get caught up in the excitement. the thing is, the brits, you never know what's gonna happen, but you're also seeing people win the biggest award of their life in real—time as well, and i get

to feel like i was a part of that. cheering and applause. i'm also seeing my friends like little simz win and pick up an award and, you know, take her mum onstage. is that a problem, though? if you've got a favourite, like little simz... oh, man! ..and adele beats her, how do you paper over that? yeah. i guess i am impartial, but at the same time, you want your friends to win, innit? chuckles. # as it was...# harry styles is the big favourite this year. he's up for four prizes and is widely expected to win album of the year. # 0n the chaise longue, on the chaise longue # 0n the chaise longue, all day long # 0n the chaise longue...# indie band wet leg are also up forfour awards, including best group... # when we pull up you know it's a shutdown...# ..and blackpink have made history as the first ever korean girl band to receive a brit nomination for best international group. but there's concern over the lack of female nominees elsewhere.

a year after the awards combined the best male and female awards, not a single woman is up for best artist. the rock band nova twins, who are nominated for best group, say the industry makes it harder for women to succeed. you dream big when you're young because anything... anything's possible. but the reality is when you get into it, it's not as easy. we had to navigate slightly differently, you know, being women, being people of colour, doing rock music. and it was like, "you need to be in hip—hop". so that's what we got confronted with a lot at the beginning, so we had to navigate very differently. i think the message isjust follow your gut. follow your gut. don't listen to the noise of everything. quote georgia. clears throat. if you take the short road, it will draw blood, but if you take the long road, it will draw sweat. you can see the results of that blood and sweat, and maybe a few tears, too, when the brit awards kick off at 8:30pm tonight. mark savage, bbc news.

lets join our entertainment correspondent, mark savage. he's on the red carpet. not long to go now before the artists you mention find out who has won and who has not. . , �* , has not. that is right, there's there kicks — has not. that is right, there's there kicks off _ has not. that is right, there's there kicks off in _ has not. that is right, there's there kicks off in four- has not. that is right, there's there kicks off in four hours l has not. that is right, there's l there kicks off in four hours but there kicks off in four hours but the red carpet where i am standing now begins in a couple of minutes, we are going to see some of the biggest names in pop like shania twain, lizzo, harry styles, 1975, they are all due to walk down here and tell us what they are feeling before the winners names are read out in a couple of our. find before the winners names are read out in a couple of our.— out in a couple of our. and the controversy — out in a couple of our. and the controversy about _ out in a couple of our. and the controversy about some - out in a couple of our. and the controversy about some of - out in a couple of our. and the controversy about some of the j controversy about some of the categories and the nominations as you mentioned, what is the feeling down there now, that we are almost on the way, what are people talking about? . , on the way, what are people talking about? ., , ., , , ., about? certainly, there has been a hue about? certainly, there has been a huge conversation _ about? certainly, there has been a huge conversation about _ about? certainly, there has been a huge conversation about this, - about? certainly, there has been a huge conversation about this, the l huge conversation about this, the fact that a year after they combined the male and female categories into one best artist category, there are no women nominated at all. the feeling is that this is indicative of a wider problem in the british music industry. if you look at all

of the acts signed to a record label in the uk, only 20% are women. in the best artist category, 70 people were put forward for the award and only 12 were women and there is certainly a debate over whether somebody like florence and the machine or charli xcx could have been up for the wood instead of the people who are nominated, harry styles, george ezra. 0verall tonight, though, ithink styles, george ezra. 0verall tonight, though, i think it will be a fairly even split between male and female winners in categories. i suspect harry styles will run away with the bulk the prizes, he won album of the year at the grammys on sunday night and will probably do that again here but elsewhere, wet leg are up forfour that again here but elsewhere, wet leg are up for four awards and they are pretty much sewn in for the group and alternative at categories but we might see a few more winners as well during the night. it is but we might see a few more winners as well during the night.— as well during the night. it is a bi niuht as well during the night. it is a big night for— as well during the night. it is a big night for the _ as well during the night. it is a big night for the uk _ as well during the night. it is a big night for the uk music - as well during the night. it is a - big night for the uk music industry

tonight, lots of people's memories growing up, but are they still are big cultural landmark in music? timer;r big cultural landmark in music? they are, big cultural landmark in music? they are. certainly — big cultural landmark in music? they are, certainly for— big cultural landmark in music? they are, certainly for the _ big cultural landmark in music? tie: are, certainly for the artist, it big cultural landmark in music? ti21 are, certainly for the artist, it is are, certainly for the artist, it is a huge deal, as you saw in the piece with mini web, to receive a nomination but the reason the brit awards have moved to saturday nights in the first time is that for the last two decades, the viewing figures have been falling. in the 19905, figures have been falling. in the 1990s, you would regularly see nine or10 1990s, you would regularly see nine or 10 million people tuning in to watch the show. last year, it fell to an all—time low of 2.7 million. the bosses here are hoping that more people will watch in a prime—time saturday night slot. of course, that has a knock—on effect on the sales and the streams of these albums. the performers tonight on the big stage, including lizzo and harry styles and lewis capaldi and stormzy will be hoping to see a bump in sales and streaming figures on monday. hat streaming figures on monday. not lona to streaming figures on monday. not long to go. _ streaming figures on monday. not long to go, have a great time. thanks for that. that is about it

for me. plenty more online and if you are there, get me on social media. this is bbc news. goodbye. hello, for most places today, sunshine was in short supply but there were exceptions to the rule, particularly in the north—east of england and the east of scotland. a decent amount of blue sky overhead in aberdeenshire. that is because there was a bit of shelter from the westerly flow that brought all of this cloud in across the uk. we will keep some large areas of cloud as we head through the night. the cloud in places big enough to produce the odd spot of drizzle and perhaps especially in the north—west of scotland. north—east scotland should see some clear spells which will allow for a touch of frost and if the cloud breaks elsewhere, maybe east wales and the west country may be a touch of frost. but for most, temperatures say staying several

degrees above freezing. tomorrow, this area of high pressure is still with us but it tends to slip eastwards and that will allow the wind to strengthen a little around some of the western and northern parts of the uk and that should help to break up the cloud a little more effectively and give rise to more in the way of sunshine. that said, there could be the odd spot of drizzle in the north—west of scotland first thing. central and eastern parts of england will struggle to break up the cloud because the wind is set to stay light. but with more of a breeze around western and northern parts, we will see a bit more in the way of sunshine and it is going to be another mild day with temperatures north to south between nine and 12 degrees. as we move out of sunday into monday, high—pressure to the east. this frontal system trying to push in from the west but it is going to take its time to do so. things are going to change very slowly as we head through the first couple of days of the week. monday should bring a bit more sunshine and

southerly breeze breaking up a bit more of the cloud. a slightly brighter day although parts of eastern england may stay quite grey throughout. temperatures between 9-12. still throughout. temperatures between 9—12. still mild for the time of year. as we head towards the middle of the week, this weather front should eventually make some progress eastwards stop it will move quite erratically with waves along the weather front, erratically with waves along the weatherfront, a bit of erratically with waves along the weather front, a bit of uncertainty aboutjust how quickly the rain will arrive but the increasing chance of some wet weather through the middle part of the week, further rain at times for the end of the week but throughout, it is set to stay mild.

this is bbc news. i'm lewis vaughanjones and these are the headlines... aid agencies call for better access to the earthquake disaster zones from turkey to syria as the number of people killed in both countries rises to more than 25,000. the united nations estimates the earthquakes may have left nearly 5.5 million people homeless in syria. the government there says it will allow aid to be delivered to rebel—held parts of the country. despite the odds, people are still being pulled out alive from under the rubble in turkey, more than 120 hours after the first earthquake struck. us fighterjets have shot down an unidentified object off the coast of alaska after president biden gave the order to "seek and destroy". recovery teams are trying to salvage the wreckage.