hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones, welcome to verified live — three hours of breaking stories and checking out the truth behind them. we start in the united states, where striking hollywood actors are due to join film and tv writers on picket lines. it's the first day of an industry—wide stoppage that will halt movie production — the first time that's happened in more than 60 years. what's at stake has worldwide implications — just how does the creative economy respond to the new world of ai? the screen actors guild wants streaming giants like netflix, disney and paramount to agree to what they say are fairer split of profits and better working conditions. it also wants assurances about the use of artificial intelligence. while the strike is going on, actors can't appear in films

or even promote the movies they've already made. as a result, stars cillian murphy, matt damon and emily blunt left the premiere of christopher nolan's oppenheimer in london last night as the strike was declared. the studios say they have made meaningful offers but that's been rejected by those on strike. the guild's president, fran drescher, said the decision by actors to walk out was a �*moment of truth'. we are being victimised by a very greedy entity. i am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us. i cannot believe it, quite frankly. how far apart we are on so many things. how they plead poverty, that they are losing money left and right while giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their ceos.

it is disgusting. shame on them. they stand on the wrong side of history at this very moment. the issues in the strike go much deeper thanjust the film industry itself. the screen actors guild wants streaming giants to agree a fairer split of profits and better working conditions. but other demands — like protecting actors from being replaced by digital replicas — reflect wider challenges. the union wants guarantees that artificial intelligence and computer generated faces will not be used to replace actors. not since 1960 has a there been a strike on this scale. that dispute was led by the future us president ronald reagan — seen here with his wife nancy and fellow actorjames cagney. as we said, these issues go much wider than just hollywood — live now to spencer macdonald, national secretary of the uk

broadcasting union. thank you so much for coming on the programme. thank you so much for coming on the programme-— thank you so much for coming on the programme-_ let's - thank you so much for coming on the programme._ let's start i programme. thank you. let's start with some — programme. thank you. let's start with some of _ programme. thank you. let's start with some of the _ programme. thank you. let's start with some of the implications - programme. thank you. let's start with some of the implications of. with some of the implications of what's going on in the tv and film industry around the world. it is a change of business model, linked to things like streaming, which means what, there is less money overall in the pot? we what, there is less money overall in the ot? ~ . , ., , ., the pot? we have seen an explosion in the amount _ the pot? we have seen an explosion in the amount of— the pot? we have seen an explosion in the amount of content _ the pot? we have seen an explosion in the amount of content that's - the pot? we have seen an explosion| in the amount of content that's been produced here from inward investment, so the streamers, the studios are doing a huge amount of content in the uk, so it is a global industry now, and the thing is, it has kind of distorted industry. previously he would have indigenous production, production is from the broadcasters, but now the vast majority of production spend comes from inward investment so that issue has to be tackled, hence the dispute

that the writers guild and the screen actors guild are currently trying to tackle. it screen actors guild are currently trying to tackle.— trying to tackle. if you're not in the industry — trying to tackle. if you're not in the industry from _ trying to tackle. if you're not in the industry from the - trying to tackle. if you're not in the industry from the outside, | trying to tackle. if you're not in i the industry from the outside, you think there's loads of content being made, loads of shows being produced or lots more platforms, and must be great news for writers, greenies factors, more money all round? we have seen factors, more money all round? - have seen a steady increase particularly in the uk, an increase the volume of content being produced, this year we have since —— we have since slowed down so we did a survey of unscripted and they were saying there has been a drought in terms of the volume of content that's been produced and we have seen a slowdown in scripted productions as well. so that's all sorts of factors, it is the high cost of living, it is the dispute we have had with the writers guild, its combination of all those different factors. but let's face it, in terms

of the headline figure, you see the main actors, you see the big name writers, there are thousands and thousands of other people behind that who are actually just thousands of other people behind that who are actuallyjust on minimum wage and we are talking about freelancers, people who don't have the guarantees of income. so because we have a freelance workforce who are transient, they move around so they don't stick in one particular place, they have to work, they have to follow the particular work, so there needs to be some sort of safety net, some sort of safeguards for those individuals and we have got a really precarious industry where there does need to be more of a focus in terms of making sure we have fair and reasonable terms and conditions for all those workers. haifa reasonable terms and conditions for all those workers.— all those workers. how worried are ou b all those workers. how worried are you by things _ all those workers. how worried are you by things like _ all those workers. how worried are you by things like ai _ all those workers. how worried are you by things like ai and _ all those workers. how worried are you by things like ai and the - you by things like ai and the technological changes coming? we have technological changes coming? - have seen some of this already happening in visual effects. because

there is a massive amount of big studio pictures where they are doing lots of cgi, we have seen the transition from traditional format filming to the cgi, so we have seen a transition. but this is in a different level with the ai. we have seen actually people don't get remunerated for their particular contribution any more, so what is suggested in terms of the claims they are making is that making sure they are making is that making sure they actually get remunerated for they actually get remunerated for the for that particular content because it's a new thing, it has been around for a long time and it needs to catch up with what the industry is actually doing at the moment. ,, , . industry is actually doing at the moment. ,,, . ., ~ , ., , industry is actually doing at the moment. . ., ~ , . moment. spencer, thank you very much for cominu moment. spencer, thank you very much for coming on — moment. spencer, thank you very much for coming on the _ moment. spencer, thank you very much for coming on the programme. - moment. spencer, thank you very much for coming on the programme. thank. for coming on the programme. thank ou. and for coming on the programme. thank you- and there _ for coming on the programme. thank you. and there will _ for coming on the programme. thank you. and there will be _ for coming on the programme. thank you. and there will be plenty - for coming on the programme. thank you. and there will be plenty more i you. and there will be plenty more on the implications _ you. and there will be plenty more on the implications of— you. and there will be plenty more on the implications of ai _ you. and there will be plenty more on the implications of ai in - you. and there will be plenty more on the implications of ai in the - on the implications of ai in the programme because it is such a huge and compelling issue. now to the heatwave that is gripping

much of southern europe — with temperatures over a0 degrees and climbing. countries including greece, italy, spain and croatia and turkey have seen some of the highest temperatures, with the heat expected to break records next week. this is athens — where the acropolis has been closed during the hottest hours of the day to protect visitors from the high temperatures. tourists have been barred from entering the famous attraction between noon and 5pm. it's a similar picture in other parts of the mediterannean. this is croatia, where wildfires have broken out and are being spread by high winds. there are also heat warnings across neighboring serbia. in italy red alerts — meaning a threat to life — have been issued for rome and nine other cities. our reporter sofia bettiza is there and has this report. it's going to be extremely hot in italy today. the health authorities have issued a red alert warning for ten cities today, but that is going to go up to ia cities tomorrow.

in the southern region of calabria, people will not be allowed to work from 12.30pm to ii.00pm if theirjobs require prolonged exposure to the sun. people here are being advised to stay indoors in the afternoon, to drink plenty of water, to avoid coffee and alcohol and to check on their elderly neighbours if they live alone. but the issue is that it's the middle ofjuly, there are lots of tourists here in italy and many of them have told us that they're not really following this advice. they've come here on holiday from japan, australia, the us and they don't want to spend hours inside their hotel rooms or not eating or drinking italian food or italian wine. so what we are seeing is several tourists who have collapsed in the last few days because of heatstroke. because of climate change, heatwaves like this one are becoming more frequent and more severe

and they can be dangerous. last year, more than 60,000 people died in europe because of the heat so there are fears that this heatwave could cause more deaths this summer. because of that, authorities here in italy, but also in other european countries — greece, spain, germany, france — are urging people to take this very seriously because these extreme temperatures are expected to continue in the next few days. heatwaves have also affected parts of north africa and the middle east this week — with southern parts of morocco under an extreme heat red alert. and it's notjust heat — extreme weather events are becoming more common around the world, according to the un. leading to scenes like this in india, where record monsoon rainfall this week has caused destructive flooding.

extreme weather patterns and increased temperatures have a range of consequences — not least food production. the new un human rights chief volker turk warned on monday that the impact of the climate crisis is threatening the right to food. he said 80 million more people will be at risk of hunger by the middle of this century. a new study in the journal nature has highlighted the possibility of major harvest failures caused by climate change in multiple global breadbaskets. scientists are working on the gene sequencing of foods like tomatoes to make them heat resistant and maintain crop yields. but the un has also warned of a "dystopian future" without immediate action with possible civil unrest. dr zitouni 0uld—dada is an expert in climate and other environmental issues at the food and agriculture organisation of the un.

thank you for coming in the programme. thank you for coming in the programme-— thank you for coming in the l programme._ give thank you for coming in the - programme._ give us an programme. thank you. give us an idea, programme. thank you. give us an idea. what's _ programme. thank you. give us an idea, what's the _ programme. thank you. give us an idea, what's the relationship - programme. thank you. give us an idea, what's the relationship here | idea, what's the relationship here between these big high temperatures we are seeing in food? weill. between these big high temperatures we are seeing in food?— we are seeing in food? well, there is a big relationship _ we are seeing in food? well, there is a big relationship obviously - is a big relationship obviously because climate change effects of food production, agriculture in general, and agriculture also affects climate change because our culture is an important industry of greenhouse gas emissions, it uses about 70% of withdrawn water and around 30% of global energy. there is a very tight relationship between what's happening to the climate and agriculture. this is particularly important for global food security because what we have seen now with this succession of extreme weather events, drought and floods, they affect global food security. just yesterday we launched the state of

food security and nutrition in the world in new york and we found that in 2022, last year, we had around 783 people who were going hungry every day. since 2019, 120 2 million people were pushed into hunger. —— 122 million. the courses are the pandemic, climate change and also conflicts including the war in ukraine. but climate change is making the situation really worse. we are seeing this succession of extreme weather events, this is the new reality unfortunately that we have adapted to white strapless talk about how to adapt to it, what can be done if temperatures are to carry on going up? that be done if temperatures are to carry on going up?— on going up? at least in the foreseeable _ on going up? at least in the foreseeable future. - on going up? at least in the foreseeable future. that - on going up? at least in the| foreseeable future. that will threaten things like crop production, what is the answer, said things like gene editing to make crops heat resistant? itinfoil

things like gene editing to make crops heat resistant? well come is many things- _ crops heat resistant? well come is many things. there _ crops heat resistant? well come is many things. there are _ crops heat resistant? well come is many things. there are many - crops heat resistant? well come is. many things. there are many things we should have done years ago to avoid being in the crisis situation we are in now. we need to reduce emissions, we need to reduce emissions, we need to reduce emissions drastically. 0ur lifestyle, the way we move, there way we travel and eat, has to change, we have to change really the way we produce and eat food. so we need to first of all have a really strong political will is an international and national level, to have clear strategies with clear action plans where we need to act to really avoid the dangers of climate change and increasing hunger. we also need to invest more in innovation and in protecting nature, our natural resources, and use them more efficiently, including the use of water, fertiliser, energy, and we also... , , ., of water, fertiliser, energy, and we

also... , ., ., also... just on those, that was a bi list also... just on those, that was a big list of _ also. .. just on those, that was a big list of all— also... just on those, that was a big list of all the _ also... just on those, that was a big list of all the things - also... just on those, that was a big list of all the things that - also... just on those, that was a | big list of all the things that need to be tackled, but in the short term, what are the short—term consequences, is it inevitable that the price of food is going to go up? whenever there is drought, it is something that affects food production, that leads to the volatility in food prices. when you have crop failure, then you have of an impact on food availability, and food security. and that leads to the volatility in food prices. but that is the immediate impact. what we need to do is realise that this is going to happen again, notjust now and that's it. we need to be prepared in the future to have real policies, and as i said to invest, and awareness raising as well, because society as a whole, we need to think about the impacts having on the environment because of our lifestyle, and that has to change.

we really appreciate your thoughts, thank you very much.— around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. co nsta nt constant mental torture. gambling and alcohol was just a momentary respite injust the and alcohol was just a momentary respite in just the same continuous negative force.— negative force. nursing his grandfather _ negative force. nursing his grandfather hit _ negative force. nursing his grandfather hit him - negative force. nursing his grandfather hit him hard, i negative force. nursing his l grandfather hit him hard, his company started soon after. but it reached a point when he felt death was his only way out. one day he left notes for his family and went out intending to take his life, but he was saved. it out intending to take his life, but he was saved.— out intending to take his life, but he was saved. it was hard enough bein: that he was saved. it was hard enough being that joke — he was saved. it was hard enough being that joke and _ he was saved. it was hard enough being that joke and making - he was saved. it was hard enough i being that joke and making everyone being thatjoke and making everyone laugh and ever and used to love being around me, that was training because it was like, you have no idea how i actually feel inside. freddy wanted to live so he got medical help and crucially debt advice. i started a podcast, thousands of people are listening.

itjust blew up and lots of people started listening and loads of people started messaging me saying that they felt the same way or that they had never heard a man talk like that about feelings and emotions. head to the bbc news website for more stories across the uk. your life with bbc news. an indian rocket has blasted off for the moon on a mission to land a rover on the lunar surface. the chandrayaan—3 lifted off from southern andhra pradesh state. if successful, the craft, which went into earth orbit shortly after the launch, will deploy a lander near the south pole of the moon next month. these are the pictures, heading off,

big moment for the country, a successful launch of their off to explore the south pole of the moon, which hasn't been particularly well explored. there are still a lot of excitement and energy over here as we have seen and energy over here as we have seen a handful of people among the thousands who are gathered here to witness the launch of the third mission to the moon. this isjust outside the space centre. bahir dar trying to take selfies and photographs outside the three rocket models. but this is really the settlement, this excitement is what it's about because this time india is hoping they will be able to successfully make a soft landing on the south pole of the lunar surface. it is important because four years ago the same mission resulted in failure but if they manage it this time then india will become only the fourth country in the world to have achieved this feat. it will be up there with the likes of the us, russia and china so that's why it's

important. it is also attempting to land on the southern side of the moon and released overforfurther exploration because this area is the same place where the first moon mission 15 years ago from india discover the possible presence of water so they are likely to build that research. india currently commands only 2% of the global space economy but they want to make themselves a bigger player, propel themselves a bigger player, propel themselves into a larger old, another reason whyjust a few themselves into a larger old, another reason why just a few years ago india opened up the space sector to private players for the first time in decades to try and make itself more competitive and open itself more competitive and open itself up to more commercial possibilities. so india is hoping that with these launches it also makes itself a larger player in the world in terms of the global space economy. let's talk to dr namrata goswami — an expert in space policy at arizona state university's thunderbird school of global management. thank you for coming on the programme. thank you for coming on the programme-— thank you for coming on the rouramme. ., ~ i. ., ., programme. thank you for having me.

it has one programme. thank you for having me. it has gone well _ programme. thank you for having me. it has gone well so _ programme. thank you for having me. it has gone well so far, _ programme. thank you for having me. it has gone well so far, it'll— programme. thank you for having me. it has gone well so far, it'll take - it has gone well so far, it'll take a few weeks until we know it's completely successful or not, once the rover lands gently on the moon's service, that'll be the big test. how big a moment do you think this is? i how big a moment do you think this is? ., , , how big a moment do you think this is? ~' , , ., how big a moment do you think this is? ~' , , . , how big a moment do you think this is? ~ , , ., , , is? i think this is a very big moment — is? i think this is a very big moment because - is? i think this is a very big moment because this - is? i think this is a very big moment because this is . is? i think this is a very big | moment because this is the is? i think this is a very big - moment because this is the first time that india will aim to land on the moon, it has never done that before. the earlier mission in 2008 was an orbiter mission which successfully discovered the presence of water ice. the second division in 2019, the chandrayaan—2, attempted to land but crashed so it was not successful. so the landing itself will make india the second asian nation to land successfully on the lunar south pole for the second big moment is that india will become the first country if it succeeds to land on the south pole of the moon which has never been done before. the south pole is important because it has several resources like helium—3,

water ice, rare minerals that they seem to build into the space resource regulation and mining prospects that india is also interested in. so it's a very big moment for india today. i interested in. so it's a very big moment for india today.- interested in. so it's a very big moment for india today. i was going to sa , moment for india today. i was going to say. what's _ moment for india today. i was going to say, what's the _ moment for india today. i was going to say, what's the point? _ moment for india today. i was going to say, what's the point? you - moment for india today. i was going to say, what's the point? you have. to say, what's the point? you have outlined some of their first of the scientific exploration, the national pride. but india like so many countries has so many problems that could be solved with big investments of money like this, is it justifiable to spend the money in this way? i justifiable to spend the money in this wa ? ., , justifiable to spend the money in thiswa ? ~ , , this way? i think it is 'ustifiable because if* this way? i think it is 'ustifiable because if you _ this way? i think it is 'ustifiable because if you look _ this way? i think it isjustifiable because if you look at - this way? i think it isjustifiable because if you look at india's i this way? i think it is justifiable - because if you look at india's space programme contributes to india's own capability, for example go to india's ability to do weather forecasting, aquaculture mapping, so if you look at the rationale for india's lunar programme it is also about making it possible that one day india might be able tojoin in

the cup of nations that can harvest resources on the moon, as i spoke about, which can scale up india's space ambition and the other important thing that one should realise is that india's space programme isn't very expensive. for example, indiajust signed programme isn't very expensive. for example, india just signed the accord supplied by the united states to want to go back to the moon by 2024 per space resource utilisation, the fact that india's missions are about $74 million permission where as nasa's is about $4 billion per launch, makes india a very attractive player and a very cost effective player in the space economy. effective player in the space economy-— effective player in the space econom. . , , ., ~ economy. fascinating stuff, thank ou so economy. fascinating stuff, thank you so much _ economy. fascinating stuff, thank you so much for— economy. fascinating stuff, thank you so much for coming _ economy. fascinating stuff, thank you so much for coming on - economy. fascinating stuff, thank you so much for coming on the . you so much for coming on the programme. you so much for coming on the programme-— you so much for coming on the programme. you so much for coming on the ”roramme. ., ~ i. . ., programme. thank you so much for havin: programme. thank you so much for having me- — the oscar—winning actor, kevin spacey, has told a jury he could have had sex — in his words — "all the time", but he said he found it hard to trust people because of his fame. continuing to give evidence at southwark crown court,

he said he objected to the term "crotch grab" — used by alleged victims in accusations against him. the actor denies 12 sexual offences relating to four men. 0ur correspondent frankie mccamley?gave us this update — and a warning, she referred to some bad language used in court. yesterday the court heard how kevin spacey was here to establish his innocence and proceed with his life, and that is exactly what he came here to do. sitting in the witness box today, he was very relaxed, very calm and very assertive at times and there were some very tense exchanges between himself and the prosecution barrister. thejudge even had to interject at times, telling mr spacey to answer the question. beginning the cross—examination, the prosecution focused on what they called the "crotch grab". they asked if it was

his trademark move. he not only disagreed with the term, he said, "i do admit i may have touched one of the accusers, but it was gentle, it was not a grab." the prosecution then turned to allegations made by another man and questioned, why would he have lied? mr spacey replied, "money, money, and then money." there were some further tense exchanges, especially when mr spacey called some of the allegations he had grabbed a man's crotch, excuse my language, "absolute bullocks". the prosecution said, "that is exactly where you grabbed him." he answered, "really?" he laughed a little bit, turned to the judge and said, "really?" the judge told him to answer the question. he said, "no, i didn't." this morning, the cross—examination has finished, we are expecting some defence witnesses to take the stand

later this afternoon and of course, mr spacey denies all of the charges against him. let's take you to france now as the country has been celebrating bastille day. it's beeen marked with the annual military parade along the champs elysees, ending with a military fly—past led by the french air force acrobatic team, who painted the national tricolour in the skies above paris. after days of rioting sparked by last month's police killing of a 17—year—old by police in nanterre, france banned the sale, possession and transport of all fireworks during the bastille day festivities. and for those of you have a fear of snakes, look away now! for your seeing is a florida man capturing

the longest ever recorded burmese python. weighing an impressive 125lb, measuring some 19 feet in length, the record—breaking catch was verified by the confederacy of southwest florida. this is pcs. —— bbc news. a heatwave in the mediterranean dominating the european weather headlines at the moment, but to home it is all about low pressure and unseasonably wet and windy weather for this time of year. the low pressure will drift north and east and dominate the story throughout the weekend. gusty winds across parts of west wales and south west england this morning, 45 to 50 mph, on top of that we have also seen

some pretty persistent rain so far. that is gradually drifting north and east as we go through the rest of the day. showers for scotland on the whole but not that much in the way of sunshine generally across the country. the heaviest of the rain into the afternoon looks likely to be pushing towards northern ireland, across central wales turning to the midlands and along the south coast, gradually pushing towards the scottish borders by the end of the day. in the cloud and the rain it will not be very warm, 15 to 21 celsius at the very best, temperatures a little below par for the time of year. 0vernight tonight, the time of year. 0vernight tonight, the wind and rain continues to push steadily north where it will tend to linger in the far north of scotland. staying quite breezy to the south, keeping quite a lot of cloud, so temperatures will hold up. generally around 13 to 16 celsius first thing on saturday morning but the low remains and the wind will remain a feature. as a low pressure continues

to drift north, wrapping around it will be several fronts bringing showery outbreaks of rain and plenty of isobars so staying windy. we still have strong gusts of wind, 50 to 50 -- 550 to 55 still have strong gusts of wind, 50 to 50 —— 550 to 55 mph, that is nothing in autumn or winter but at this time of year very unusual, perhaps if you want if you have outdoor plans. with that centre of the low, wrapping around it will be plenty of frequent shop possibly thundery downpours from time to time. there will be some sunny spells but again it is perhaps not what you want for the middle of july. top temperatures of 16 to 22 at the very best. perhaps fewer showers on sunday across england and wales, but they could still be some persistent rain particularly in the far north—west of scotland. again, similar values, around 14 to 21 celsius. take care.

crossing the central this is bbc news, the headlines: hollywood actors and screenwriters on strike — in the largest us film and tv industry shutdown for more than 60 years. artificial sweetner — called aspartame — found in many sugar—free drinks — could 'possibly�* cause cancer. but there's no change to advice on consuming it. at least 289 children

are estimated to have died or disappeared —