live from washington, this is bbc news. president zelensky meets with world leaders on the final day of the g7 summit injapan. the defence ministry in moscow says wagner mercenaries, with the support of russian troops, have taken full control of the battleground city of bakhmut — claims ukraine denies. the celebrated british author martin amis has died at the age of 73. hello, i'm helena humphrey.

we start injapan, where leaders of some of the world's most powerful democracies are gathered at the g7 summit. on saturday, the focus has primarily been on one man: volodymyr zelensky. the ukrainian president is in hiroshima, in person. you can seem sitting next to the indian prime minister and other partner countries, and also presidentjoe biden awaiting his meeting with president zelensky and also justin trudeau. many others as part of the g7, including rishi sunak. we will continue covering that summit. you see him here taking part

in a so—called family photo. it's part of a multi—day diplomatic tour to solidify support for an expected spring counter—offensive against russia. later, mr zelensky will address the leaders and is expected to meet directly with presidentjoe biden. earlier, french president emmanuel macron said zelensky�*s presence at the g7 is a "way to build peace" and emphasized the need for a solution to the conflict based on international law. and new comments from german chancellor olaf scholz, who said training programmes for ukrainian pilots on f—i6 fighter jets are a message to russia that it should not expect to succeed, even in a prolonged conflict. well, those scenes at the g7 come as russia claims its troops have fully captured the ukrainian city of bakhmut. kyiv denies that but, if true, it could mark an end to the longest and bloodiest

battle of the is—month war. russia has been trying to take bakhmut since last year in a grinding war of attrition. and in the last few hours, the russian news agency interfax has said president putin congratulated his troops for capturing the city. earlier, ukraine had said its units were still fighting in the city, while french president macron "remains cautious" about the developments. live now to the bbc�*s nick marsh, who is in hiroshima for the summit. it is the final day of the summit and nevertheless we are still seeing some diplomacy ongoing with that meeting of world leaders. nevertheless, what are your main takeaway is so far? ., ., ., . so far? hello, from a much warmer— so far? hello, from a much warmer hiroshima. - so far? hello, from a much warmer hiroshima. the - warmer hiroshima. the temperature has really cranked up temperature has really cranked up since we last spoke and also the interest cranking up in president zelensky and this expected address he is expected to be giving later today,

possibly a press conference as well. as really stolen the show here. we did not know until quite recently, in the last 48 hours, that he would be arriving here in person, able to meet his g7 allies. we understand it with the ukrainians who were keen on this in person visit and you can understand why. everything you're explaining there about the offensive around bakhmut and the claims that the russians have been able to take it, ithink it russians have been able to take it, i think it really underlines president zelensky�*s case and gives urgency to what he is trying to do here, he wants support, he wants financial military aid. he also realises he gets to talk to more parties and get more people and countries around the table, notjust the g7 allies, you need to talk to countries like india and persuade the global south that it is in their interest to take a stance against russian aggression. so far, he has not really been

able to succeed. no g7 countries have been able to succeed and in terms of the biggest takeaway is in terms of the war in ukraine, sure, there has been tighter sanctions, sure, more solidarity and affirmations of support for ukraine but nothing will move the needle when it comes to hurting the russian war effort if other countries do not get on board, and that means offering attractive financial incentives, notjust a moral call to arms and encouragement for these countries. that is the biggest takeaway we have seen from the summit so far. that is really interesting. we are also waiting to hear from the us president,, excuse me, the us president,, excuse me, the ukrainian president to meet with president biden. what you think will come out of that? difficult to anticipate anything concrete, apart from or affirmations of the poor, like i mentioned, financial and military aid. the biggest development actually happened yesterday, actually late on friday, when the us said it

would agree to allow ukrainian pilots to be trained in f—i6 fighterjets, us made fighter jets that will eventually be delivered by european countries. that is a massive coup for ukraine. president zelensky has been asking for months and months now for more air support months and months now for more airsupportand months and months now for more air support and the fact that these planes are probably not going to be ready, or rather the ukrainian pilots will not be trained and ready to go in time for the upcoming counteroffensive we have been hearing about, in the next few weeks, shows that us and ukraine's partners in europe are really in for the long haul. they are ready to support ukraine's security even beyond this war. that is a big curve for president zelensky and should not be underestimated. fix, should not be underestimated. a final question, these summits are often about the objects, the family photograph with the every year, about the communique that eventually comes out. it is about sharing

a united front. to what extent do you think this year that really happened? i do you think this year that really happened?- do you think this year that really happened? i think the united front _ really happened? i think the united front in _ really happened? i think the united front in terms - really happened? i think the united front in terms of - really happened? i think the united front in terms of the | united front in terms of the optics, and in terms of the core message, the intention is that g7 partners have, that has been broken. i think generally all of these countries want to see russian weekend militarily and ukraine victorious in its war. when it comes to the issue of china as well, they want to contain china. they wanted to be less economically influential in the region and less aggressive when it comes to its military threat as well. broadly, they are all on the same page and you could argue that g7 has not had such a call pressing set of issues to rally around like this for many years, for many, many years. the difficulty of how to implement that because of course all of these countries have domestic interest they need to play to, european

countries economically tied to china, and how do you just break off ties, you just cannot. the idea as may be de— risking and diversifying supply chains and that is easier said than done. when it comes to russia, a lot of trade exposure for european countries so it is the compromises and marrying the compromises and marrying the intention is the compromises and marrying the intentions to economic reality, thatis intentions to economic reality, that is the challenge that these leaders that had to negotiate over the last few days. negotiate over the last few da s. . negotiate over the last few da 5. . . , negotiate over the last few da s. . , days. that was nick marsh in ja an, days. that was nick marsh in japan. nick. _ days. that was nick marsh in japan, nick, thank _ days. that was nick marsh in japan, nick, thank you - days. that was nick marsh in japan, nick, thank you a - days. that was nick marsh in japan, nick, thank you a lot. | live now to noah sneider, tokyo bureau ehief at the economist newspaper. he's been in hiroshima covering the summit. what were your expectations going into this summit? how does the outcome compare? thank you for having me. this summerforjapan�*s prime summer forjapan�*s prime minister was a

summerforjapan�*s prime minister was a combination of his lifelong ambitions, hosting this summer in hiroshima and there were really three big agenda items to watch and one was support for ukraine and showing up, both assistance to ukrainians and sanctions against russia. second, was linking what was happening, what is happening, in ukraine to the situation here in asia, in the indo—pacific and in the words of the prime minister, this idea of you ukraine today could be east asia tomorrow and finally reaching a much broader segment of the world population and the world economy by inviting representatives of the global south and developing countries and the eight non—g7 summit leaders here almost said as much is the seven g7 leaders. certainly on the first two fronts, we have seen substantial progress and access

for the summit, bolstered by president zelensky�*s decision to come in person. we've seen a real groundswell of support for ukraine and new sanctions on russia announced. and rather tough language when it comes to the challenge posed by china. the bigger? —— question is how it is plain to the global south and developing world. president zelensky had what looked like a somewhat tense meeting with prime minister narendra modi the other day and i think there is still some question as to what the effect of his presence will be on how these countries that have taken a maugham neutral stance on the war will ultimately do —— taken a more neutral stance on the wall would ultimately do. i 'ust want to pick i would ultimately do. i 'ust want to pick up i would ultimately do. i 'ust want to pick up on i would ultimately do. ijust want to pick up on that. want to pick up on that statement of the one ukraine

today could be southeast asia tomorrow. a perceived threat from china with regards to taiwan? ~ , , �* taiwan? absolutely. doesn't take much — taiwan? absolutely. doesn't take much to _ taiwan? absolutely. doesn't take much to read _ taiwan? absolutely. doesn't take much to read betweenl taiwan? absolutely. doesn't i take much to read between the lines there. you're talking about and the risk of conflict over taiwan. when you look at the g7 leaders and the communique that came out of this meeting, the big statement theyissue this meeting, the big statement they issue at the end of the gathering, five years ago, china was not even mentioned by name. this year, there is a big section, with again, rather tough language both on the taiwan strait in particular, which is a reference to taiwan itself but also on china's aggressive behaviour in economic and trade cities as well. —— severe is. the link has been made quite explicit in

the statement by president kushida and the communique. i understand leaders are been in russia and ukraine, how do you think this summer and what has come out of it and what appears to be a relatively united front will be playing out domestically in those countries in ukraine, in terms of the support we are seeing, and also with the russian public as well? if they are indeed hearing about it? == well? if they are indeed hearing about it? -- president kishida. from _ hearing about it? -- president kishida. from what _ hearing about it? -- president kishida. from what i've - hearing about it? -- president kishida. from what i've seen l kishida. from what i've seen about the reaction from ukraine and chatting with friends there in recent days, there is a real support for president zelensky�*s efforts to take his message further, to travel outside of ukraine. he was reluctant to do in the first year of the war, to press the case for support, both on the battlefield and hopefully after the fighting scene ends. in terms of reconstruction. i think president zelensky, the

war leader transforming into this global diplomat, the globetrotting diplomat, is a welcome development for many ukrainians. for russians, this summit is really reinforcing their perception that the world is lined up against them. certainly that will be, and has been, the official reaction from the russian government. we talk about president zelensky, the war leader and diplomat there injapan. what do you think that his appearance there, the fact that he did fly to japan, the fact that japan was hosting this event, has meant for the country, internationally?- meant for the country, internationally? well, i think his presence, _ internationally? well, i think his presence, as _ internationally? well, i think his presence, as you - internationally? well, i think his presence, as you know, i his presence, as you know, anytime leaders can get in a room and sit across the same

table and meet in person, the conversation they can have id power, the commitments they can make to each other are imbued with a kind of trust that comes with a kind of trust that comes with in—person reactions. i think his presence has added a sense of urgency to all of the discussions having to do with ukraine, and i think it is also brought the reality of the wall to japan and to the other leaders who have gathered here, it has shifted out from somewhat an abstract conversation about events halfway around the world, to very concrete conversation with ukrainians, who are living through them. forjapan in particular, it is underlined the role or thought of the role they would like to play as a global, as a global presence and diplomatic player themselves and so for prime and

stick kushida having volodymyr zelensky here is very positive. thank you. the celebrated british novelist martin amis has died at the age of 73. his wife said the cause was oesophageal cancer. martin amis was one of the defining writers of the 1980s and �*90s. he produced 15 novels, and perfected a style that was satirical, witty and caustic. our arts correspondent david sillito looks back at his life. reads: in diston, everything hated everything else - and everything else in return hated everything back. martin amis reading from his 2012 novel lionel asbo: the state of england, a pitch—black comedy about the darker side of britain. trademark amis. money, london fields, yellow dog — much of his best work was set in london, little signposts of the changing and, in his opinion, declining state of our nation.

the son of another famous author, kingsley amis, the connection was at times both help and a hindrance but the quality of his writing soon established him as a literary star in his own right. a generation that include salman rushdie, who paid tribute to a "unique and instantly recognisable "literary voice". his willingness to take on the big topics and talk at length sometimes got him into trouble. but if september 11 had to happen... especially after his 9/11 book, the second plane. but while his subject matter was often dark, beautifully written blackjokes, old age, he said, changed him. you begin to value life as much as you did when you were a child and if this is second childhood, then it is a good fun. you have a leave—taking poignancy about you. not anger and certainly not reactionary anger. i don't want to turn the clock back — that is the idlest kind of enquiry. i want to see what is there and see what comedy

is there in it. in other news, the white house says president biden plans to hold talks with republican leader speaker kevin mccarthy on sunday on the us debt ceiling. both sides called the latest round of negotiations a step back. lawmakers have untiljune 1st to reach a deal to lift the borrowing limit before the us would default on its debts, triggering possible financial chaos. the world health organization has launched a worldwide network to quickly detect and deal with the spread of infectious diseases. its head said covid—i9 showed the world was stronger when it shared the fight against health threats. the two warring sides in sudan have agreed to a 7—day humanitarian ceasefire — that's according to the us state department. the truce will take

effect in 48 hours. fighting between the sudanese military and its rival, the rapid support forces, is entering its sixth week. more than a million people have been displaced in the conflict. to football — and manchester city have won their third consecutive premier league title. our sports correpsondent andy swiss reports from the etihad stadium here at etihad stadium that banner behind me says here at etihad stadium that banner behind me says it here at etihad stadium that banner behind me says it all. premier league champions for the third time in a row after manchester city �*s luces rivals arsenal lost their match against nottingham forest. remember, arsenal had led manchester city for month of the season but manchester city produce the best form when it mattered in the running and a third consecutive league title for manchester city and the fans here were understandably delighted. we fans here were understandably deliahted. ~ ., delighted. we left the main road years _ delighted. we left the main road years ago _ delighted. we left the main road years ago this - delighted. we left the main

road years ago this week i delighted. we left the main | road years ago this week and before that down in the third division, ok, we won the lottery on the way but you have to spend money wisely and look at the other clubs what they spent. it is unbelievable. we follow this _ spent. it is unbelievable. we follow this club all the time, don't — follow this club all the time, don't we _ follow this club all the time, don't we. to see curling when his first — don't we. to see curling when his first title is brilliant. people don't see it every single _ people don't see it every single day. people don't see it every single day-— people don't see it every single day. it's what i love, to be honest. _ single day. it's what i love, to be honest. what - single day. it's what i love, to be honest. what a - single day. it's what i love, to be honest. what a day i single day. it's what i love, | to be honest. what a day for manchester city fans. but they were hoping even better things could be about to come because manchester city are through to the fa cup final and through to the fa cup final and through to the champions league final so while they have won this trophy they know that two more could be on their way and they will be on their way and they will be hoping for what would be an extraordinary travel. this is no love story that we know all too well. that may lead some bad luck but if you

want to pick up tickets to see della swift on tour it may cost you a fortune. it will be difficult to shake it off and leave space in your wallet. you may remember the chaos last november when tickets to the singer's tour went on sale. they were forced to cancel general sales after high presale demand exhausted supply. fans complained of waiting hours in an online queue only for the site to crash. within minutes tickets appeared on resell websites for, in some cases, thousands of dollars apiece. taylor swift herself said it was excruciating for her to watch. it even made its way to the senate judiciary committee. fast forward to now and the tour is well under way and the tour is well under way and the tour is well under way and the crowds continue to fill stadiums but if you were hoping to secure a last—minute ticket prepared to pay up. we looked at a resale website for the boston show this weekend and right now the cheapest ticket available is $1500 including fees and that is for a seat

with an abstract view of the stage. if you want to be as close as possible, front row tickets go for as much as $4000. earlier i spoke withjemima skelley, a freelance musicjournalist and avid taylor swift fan. i understand you are australian but you have come to the us for three months to go to as many shows as possible. how has it been? it shows as possible. how has it been? ., , , shows as possible. how has it been? . , , ., been? it has been great. the lan been? it has been great. the plan was _ been? it has been great. the plan was originally _ been? it has been great. the plan was originally to - been? it has been great. the plan was originally to go - been? it has been great. the plan was originally to go to i been? it has been great. the| plan was originally to go to so many more because last tour she did it was a lot easier and cheaper to get tickets. so my plan was to come over and go to one or two shows every weekend. but then when tickets went on sale last year i weakly realised that it would not be quite as easy as i thought it would be. quite as easy as i thought it would be— quite as easy as i thought it would be. ., , , , would be. how surprised were ou bu would be. how surprised were you buy those _ would be. how surprised were you buy those kind _ would be. how surprised were you buy those kind of- would be. how surprised were you buy those kind of prices? | you buy those kind of prices? as i mentioned, if you want to see the show in boston this weekend, the cheapest price is $1500. it must have been a shock. it $1500. it must have been a shock. , ., ,

shock. it is actually devastating - shock. it is actually | devastating because shock. it is actually - devastating because those tickets, for example, my friend and i went to see her in nashville, we had no tickets and were trying to get them all day before the show. tickets were popping up on ticketmaster, last—minute tickets for about $200 for side view, obstructed view, we thought we could do that but as soon as they were in your car they disappeared from the cart and ten seconds later they were in a resale website for $1500. so it is disheartening to see these tickets going to bots or people who are not real fans meanwhile others will miss out on the show. meanwhile others will miss out on the show-— on the show. talking about those real— on the show. talking about those real swift _ on the show. talking about those real swift fans - on the show. talking about those real swift fans i - on the show. talking about those real swift fans i have seen some endearing scenes on social media of fans, kids, parents, taking the children outside venuesjust to parents, taking the children outside venues just to listen. what kind of things have you been seeing for those hard—core fans, as you say, to enjoy this moment? fans, as you say, to en'oy this momennfi fans, as you say, to en'oy this moment? , ., , , ., , moment? this happened to my friend and _ moment? this happened to my friend and l. — moment? this happened to my friend and i, we _ moment? this happened to my friend and i, we were _ moment? this happened to my friend and i, we were in - friend and i, we were in atlanta trying to get last—minute tickets and itjust did not happen. we were sitting outside the stadium and she was

on stage singing her opening song and they were still going to $1600 on sub hub. honestly it was pretty disheartening seeing fans sitting outside refreshing their phones and looking for a chance to get in, scalpers walking around offering tickets with no guarantee they were real. it is nice to see everyone come together and listen from outside, you do not have to be in the stadium to come together as a community but it is still so sad seeing 70,000 people in their but the hard—core fans want to be there cannot get in. as you say this is about coming together and about culture, right, and having access to culture. in your mind what should be done to make sure that swift fans can afford tickets to a show? i that swift fans can afford tickets to a show? i think it should be _ tickets to a show? i think it should be fully _ tickets to a show? i think it should be fully illegal- tickets to a show? i think it should be fully illegal to i should be fully illegal to resell for a higher value. should be fully illegal to resell fora highervalue. i'm resell for a higher value. i'm pretty resell fora highervalue. i'm pretty sure that is what the law is in australia so that i know when taylor comes in a place in australia it will be easier because, sure, thousands

can go into ticketmaster and by ticket the cannot resell them for a profit because that is illegal and basically that is what needs to happen here. i think ticketmaster tried their best but itjust did not work. where do you think the blame lies here?— where do you think the blame lies here? the blame lies with ticketmaster, _ lies here? the blame lies with ticketmaster, i— lies here? the blame lies with ticketmaster, ithink. - lies here? the blame lies with ticketmaster, i think. they i ticketmaster, ithink. they should have known. this is taylor swift. she will sell out and to put all the shows on sale at the same time, do not have adequate timers and everything, they began introducing things but it is just simply too late. and of course the blame can lie with sub hub, the resellers as well, i feel like that nothing should be allowed to be resold for more than face value fulljust takes advantage of fans. we also heard — takes advantage of fans. we also heard taylor swift speak about this. we are heartened to

see her getting involved with certain extent? that see her getting involved with certain extent?— see her getting involved with certain extent? at the end of the day what _ certain extent? at the end of the day what can _ certain extent? at the end of the day what can she - the day what can she do? everyone on the planet who wants to see if they were able to see she would have to perform every night for five years straight. i don't expect her to do that. so it must be hard for her to be in this position where she knows she is just such a big superstar that it is almost impossible to find the right venues for the demand that she has got. it the right venues for the demand that she has got.— that she has got. it was great to talk to _ that she has got. it was great to talk to you. _ that she has got. it was great to talk to you. this _ that she has got. it was great to talk to you. this is - that she has got. it was great| to talk to you. this is jemima, to talk to you. this isjemima, currently in portland and a taylor swift fan was trying to see as many shows as possible. thank you for coming on. before we go, a little more news from the world of entertainment. in los angeles it has been more than two weeks since the writers guild of america announced its strike against the alliance of motion picture and television producers. they are still demanding higher wages, stable pay structure and improved working conditions. the work stoppages store the production of several major tv shows

including saturday night live and stranger things. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. it's been a lovely start to the weekend, really — especially across england and wales, where we've had lots of sunshine, so blue skies over these bluebell woods in south wales in pontypridd. and on the satellite picture, you can see the extent of the sunshine. a bit more cloud for scotland and northern ireland, the weak weather front overhead here, but we've still managed some brighter spells — and, actually, for scotland, northern ireland, england and wales, we had temperatures reaching the low 20s in the warmest spots. the 21.5 there in porthmadog actually making it the warmest day of the year so far for wales. now, over the next few hours, we've got another weather front that's moving in, it's kind of pepping up, bringing a bit of heavy rain for a time to scotland and northern ireland but as we get towards dawn, that will tend to start to fizzle away.

clear skies for england and wales allowing temperatures to dip down to around 5—8 degrees celsius. it'll be quite a cool start to sunday morning for england and wales. sunday's charts. well, we've got a weak weather front moving into an area of high pressure. the high pressure will squish the weather front, so not much rain on it, really, as we head into sunday — just this stripe of cloud. so, a few spots around but generally, although quite cloudy, there'll be some bright weather coming through at times. england and wales again having the best of the weather with plenty of sunshine around. perhaps a bit of cloud developing through the afternoon across east anglia and the south—east. but those temperatures again, not bad for the time of year. quite close to average, really, with highs into the upper teens or low 20s. 21, maybe a 22 in the warmest spots. now, heading into next week, it's a similar kind of scenario — a very weak weather front trying to come around the top side of this area of high pressure, so again, you may see an odd spit of rain for scotland and northern ireland, but not much. most of the day will be dry with some sunny spells coming through. again, it's england and wales that will have the best of the day's sunshine and we'll continue to see those temperatures in the warmest spots climb into the low 20s.

now, deeper into next week, the jet stream takes this kind of pattern. kind of a ridge over the uk, so high pressure will be close by and these troughs around southern europe will ensure that we continue to see heavy, thundery showers across southern europe — which is quite unusual, really, for this time of the year. so, here's the forecast in a bit more detail. over the next several days, you can see the extent of the drier weather we'll have and temperatures again holding for the most part at around 18—21 celsius, so some fine weather next week.

voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. hello. it's good to see you again at the start of a new season of unspun world. we've been off air since december and a lot has happened since then. the ukraine war first.