this is bbc news. the headlines... two people shot dead in auckland. russia carried out attacks on ukrainian port cities. southern europe and the us continue to battle extreme heat as weather alerts are in place across several countries. a trade union warns that the uk is falling behind in protecting workers from al. let's return to one of our top stories today. senior hospital doctors in england have begun a two—day strike. they will be only be providing emergency cover. it's all part of their dispute with the government over pay. it's the first time consultants have taken part in strike action in more than a decade.

live to our correspondent jon donnison, who is outside university college hospital in central london. pretty healthy picket line, as you can see, has built up in the last few hours. some of those placards say, consultant pay is followed by a mr third in the last 1a years, and thatis mr third in the last 1a years, and that is what at issue here, it's all about pay. i have dr simon walsh whitney, a consultant involved in emergency medicine, representative of the british medical association. what do you want?— of the british medical association. what do you want? consultants are here because _ what do you want? consultants are here because we _ what do you want? consultants are here because we have _ what do you want? consultants are here because we have been - what do you want? consultants are here because we have been forcedl here because we have been forced into taking action over the 35% pay deterioration we have experience in 15 years, and that pay erosion means that consultants are leaving the nhs, looking for alternatives to go to work elsewhere in the world, and thatis to work elsewhere in the world, and that is a large part of the workforce crisis which means that the nhs is not able to perform and

it's driving waiting lists up because there are not enough doctors deliver the service needed by patients. deliver the service needed by atients. ~ deliver the service needed by atients. , ., , deliver the service needed by atients. , ., patients. most consultants and senior doctors _ patients. most consultants and senior doctors earn _ patients. most consultants and senior doctors earn over - patients. most consultants and - senior doctors earn over £100,000 per year. that's a lot of money. the -a scale per year. that's a lot of money. the pay scale starts _ per year. that's a lot of money. tue: pay scale starts at per year. that's a lot of money. tte: pay scale starts at 88000 per year. that's a lot of money. tt2 pay scale starts at 88000 and gets higher as you get more experienced. that reflects the experience and the huge amount of training required, ten years after medical school minimum become a consultant, and also the huge amount of responsibility that consultants take for the most serious and life—threatening decisions. having said that, it's lost track with not only inflation but other comparable professions across the uk, and so when people are looking at options for leaving school and going into professions, it's less and less attractive as an option, and we need to have the best people come into medicine to deliver the highest

quality of care that people deserve when they need it in the uk. the government _ when they need it in the uk. the government says 6% is its final offer. 35% is never going to happen, is it? we offer. 35% is never going to happen, is it? ~ ., �* offer. 35% is never going to happen, is it? . ., �* , offer. 3596 is never going to happen, is it? ~ ., �* , ., ., is it? we haven't been demanding a 3596 -a is it? we haven't been demanding a 35% pay rise — is it? we haven't been demanding a 35% pay rise this — is it? we haven't been demanding a 3596 pay rise this year _ is it? we haven't been demanding a 3596 pay rise this year the _ is it? we haven't been demanding a 3596 pay rise this year the depth - 35% pay rise this year the depth we have been clear we want no further erosion of our pay and we need to have a system for restoring our pay. one problem is that the pay review body, which is described in patent by the government but is dramatically not independent, it's whole purpose is to keep consultants' pay in line with the cost of living, and a 35% pay loss compared with inflation means it hasn't done that, so we demanded that the government comes with a credible offer that allows it to be restored. ~ ., ., , ., credible offer that allows it to be restored. ~ ., ., ., restored. what would you say to atients restored. what would you say to patients who _ restored. what would you say to patients who have _ restored. what would you say to patients who have had _ restored. what would you say to i patients who have had procedures cancelled? are you concerned about

patient safety? we cancelled? are you concerned about patient safety?— cancelled? are you concerned about patient safety? we have maintained a christmas day — patient safety? we have maintained a christmas day level— patient safety? we have maintained a christmas day level of _ patient safety? we have maintained a christmas day level of service, - christmas day level of service, a full emergency service. people should not be worried at receiving emergency care today. of course, it's with a heavy heart and it's a difficult decision for consultants to take any sort of industrial action. but the point is that the years of neglecting the nhs by this government and neglecting the workforce is what has largely contributed to this date the nhs is in with record waiting lists, delays in with record waiting lists, delays in emergency care. we are taking action to try and get the government to stop that happening by addressing the workforce crisis, paying consultants and other doctors and all professionals fairly and actually enabling it to deliver what patients should expect. haifa actually enabling it to deliver what patients should expect.— actually enabling it to deliver what patients should expect. how do you think it compares _ patients should expect. how do you think it compares with _ patients should expect. how do you think it compares with health - think it compares with health services around the world, are you getting a bad deal in comparison? we

getting a bad deal in comparison? 2 know consultants are leaving the nhs to work elsewhere in the world. in 2021, 10,000 doctors left the uk and when consultants are surveyed, nearly 60% report vacancies amongst their colleagues. we know that places like australia, new zealand, even ireland are offering salaries that are double and more for consultants, so it's not surprising that consultants and junior doctors are being attracted to go and work elsewhere in the world outside the nhs. taste elsewhere in the world outside the nhs. ~ ., ., ., �* nhs. we have to leave it there. i'll let ou nhs. we have to leave it there. i'll let you get — nhs. we have to leave it there. i'll let you get back— nhs. we have to leave it there. i'll let you get back to _ nhs. we have to leave it there. i'll let you get back to the _ nhs. we have to leave it there. i'll let you get back to the picket - nhs. we have to leave it there. i'll let you get back to the picket lines| let you get back to the picket lines of the this is two days of strike action this week and another two days planned for next month. some breaking news that has just come in in the last few minutes,. the competiton and markets authority has released a report ruling that prices should be tightened and that retailers must help shoppers

compare prices easily. the regulator has been investigating supermarket prices after both the government and the bank of england questioned whether retailers were passing on lower costs quickly enough to shoppers. our business reporter, peter ruddick, is in salford with the details. what more can you tell us about this decision from the cma? the competition _ decision from the cma? the competition and _ decision from the cma? tt2 competition and markets authority were looking at two things when it comes to supermarket food prices, incredibly important, given the cost of living squeeze. they were looking at whether supermarkets were profiteering, the comments you mentioned from the governor of the bank of england and the chancellor. we know there are lower producer costs out there, are they being passed on quickly enough to shop is in supermarkets profiteering? and there were looking at unit pricing. things clear enough in—store? on the first part, they say they have found no evidence so far that high food prices have been driven by weak

competition. essentially, that supermarkets have not been profiteering. they're going to keep looking into this on certain products. on the second part, they say not all retailers are displaying prices as clearly as they should. this could be hampering people was more ability to compare product prices. they're worried by consistency, like the tea bags, often per 100 grams and occasionally per tea bag. often per 100 grams and occasionally pertea bag. it often per 100 grams and occasionally per tea bag. it means is quite difficult to work out which is the best value product. sometimes unit pricing is missing or incorrect, tickly online. they also mention promotions and loyalty card products and found some retailers are not displaying unit prices, making it difficult for shoppers to work out where they can get the best value and save the most money. no where nearas damning, and save the most money. no where near as damning, this report, is a similar one into petrol retailers came earlier this month. but to says

they are going to going to write to these retailers and warned them to make the changes or risk enforcement action. they also say the law itself needs to be tightened and they are calling on the government to bring in reforms. consumer groups have responded positively but they want to market and the govan to act swiftly. the big whether any of these changes will be enough to help struggling shoppers. more information _ struggling shoppers. more information on _ struggling shoppers. more information on that - struggling shoppers. more i information on that available struggling shoppers. more - information on that available on struggling shoppers. more information on that available on the bbc website. rail passengers are facing more disruption today and on saturday, as guards and station staff begin a fresh round of strikes. the action will affect 1a train companies across england and also impact services running into scotland and wales. our transport correspondent, katy austin, has the latest. once again, fewer trains are running as thousands of rail workers walk out. the level of disruption will vary around the country. some passengers in birmingham had changed their plans. annoying. so i'm travelling up to see my friend in sheffield and there's been a lot of, like, disruptions and stuff.

so i've opted for the bus, obviously, because it's just a bit easier. i completely support the train strikes, yeah. they're battling for fair wages, aren't they? i they're battling for their terms and conditions and all those i things matter, don't they? strikes have now been going on for more than a year. the rail industry is under pressure to cut costs from the government, which controls what's on the table in the dispute between the rmt and 1a train companies. the operators continue to call for members to get a vote on proposals for a backdated pay rise of 5%, followed by 4% this year, all in exchange for changes to ways of working. it's a really strong offer made in a climate where we know that there are challenges in terms of new lower passenger numbers during covid and, ultimately, it's taxpayers that will foot the bill if we increase an offer to the union. the rmt rejected the latest proposals back in april.

there are conditions in this offer that we can't live with. whenever they want to come to the table, they have to get permission from the government. that has not been granted. we know that we could move this forward. the announcement this week of massive cuts to station staff has exacerbated the problems. the rmt opposes plans to close hundreds of ticket offices around england. the industry and ministers argue staff would assist passengers around the station and insist they're listening to disability groups' concerns about the proposals. 100,000 people have already responded to a public consultation, which closes on wednesday. the next train strikes are this saturday and next saturday, with action on the london underground also due next week. katy austin, bbc news. let's speak to our business correspondent, ben king. this is the 31st day of strike action here in the uk in the dispute

that has been running more than a year, with the rmt going on strike today, as we heard in that report. there will be 1a train companies affected, including avante west coast, great northam, great western, southern and southeastern so as always the advice from the red livery group in the uk is to check before you travel and plan ahead. the issue of pay has been a big one in these negotiations, but also conditions, and that issue of ticket offices is one that has really come to the fore in recent weeks, with the rail industry outlining its plans to close almost all the ticket offices in england except the very biggest ones, including some of the largest stations, like darlington. they say that staff will still be there, that they will be helping people out on concourses and that

those ticket offices in some cases sell one ticket an hour and only 12% of tickets are sold through ticket offices. but the rail unions, the rmt called it a savage attack on its members and on the travelling public. so that is yet another issue in a dispute that has been running for a long time and shows very little sign of reaching an eminent conclusion soon. there's a warning from the uk children's charity, the nspcc, that predators are using virtual reality gaming to target and groom young people. the charity found that three quarters of parents were concerned that children were at risk of being sexually harassed in vr worlds. police have called the technology an emerging threat. angus crawford reports.

enter a virtual world. how old are you? i've been up there, man. seven. seven? cool rec room says it's a place to hang out, chat and explore. looks innocent enough — but not for this child, home alone, playing on her vr headset. one time, when i met some boy... she tells a researcher what happened to her. it's graphic and shocking. he told me to go on his bed and he started doing stuff. all that was going on in one of these. now, put on the headset, choose an avatar — a virtual you — and a whole range of worlds opens up, both good and bad. vr and the so—called metaverse promised a world without limits, a new level of gaming, lifelike graphics where a headset could take you anywhere you wanted to go. but in a space with few rules, for children, that can be dangerous. behind this door, someone who knows that only too well. she spends hours each day in vr.

hi, tereza, how are you? i'm good, thank you. that's an interesting outfit. thank you. see the pole? well, tereza uses it for dancing in a game called vr chat. it's fun and she feels safe, but worries that there's adult content, racist abuse and bullying of women and girls — harassed by predatory men. grooming is a big, big issue. it's an unsafe space for children in general. it's unmoderated. it's a wild west. police saying a child's life is in danger. - a wild west which has even led to children being abducted. we have breaking newsjust in. in the us, we know of at least three cases where children have met predators on vr.

these products don't have the safety features in them to make sure children are safe when they use them. rec room told us it takes the safety of players and the issues raised in our report extremely seriously and that it works proactively with law enforcement around the world. as for vr chat, it says that user safety is a top priority. it insists underage users are not permitted and, if detected on the platform, are immediately banned. and he told me to lay down like this onto the pillow. a virtual world with few rules and very real dangers. angus crawford, bbc news. he told me to close my eyes and i did until i heard weird sounds and i woke up. if you've been affected by any of the issues in this story information and

support is available via the bbc action line. union leaders have told the bbc we are falling behind in terms of protecting workers from al. the tuc says other countries are taking the lead in regulation and its worried uk employment law is not keeping pace with business leaders are hailing the potential of ai pace with business leaders are hailing the potential of al to spur innovation and improve productivity and customer service. simonjack has the story. customer service of the future, artificial intelligences reading, interpreting and answering customer queries, doing the work of 250 employees and customers seem to like it. dr employees and customers seem to like it. ., ., , ,

employees and customers seem to like it. ., ., _ ., it. or an e-mail written by team members _ it. or an e-mail written by team members as _ it. or an e-mail written by team members as a — it. or an e-mail written by team members as a 6596 _ it. or an e-mail written by team members as a 6596 satisfaction l it. or an e-mail written by team - members as a 6596 satisfaction rating members as a 65% satisfaction rating from customers. an e—mail written by ai as an 85% satisfaction rating, so the ai is enabling our team to do a betterjob of serving customers at a time of great need. can betterjob of serving customers at a time of great need.— time of great need. can we be realistic and _ time of great need. can we be realistic and honest _ time of great need. can we be realistic and honest about - time of great need. can we be realistic and honest about the | time of great need. can we be - realistic and honest about the fact some jobs are realistic and honest about the fact somejobs are going realistic and honest about the fact some jobs are going to realistic and honest about the fact somejobs are going to go? realistic and honest about the fact some jobs are going to go? economic urowth will some jobs are going to go? economic growth will be — some jobs are going to go? economic growth will be crating _ some jobs are going to go? economic growth will be crating new _ some jobs are going to go? economic growth will be crating new jobs - some jobs are going to go? economic growth will be crating new jobs all. growth will be crating newjobs all the time and ai will enhance what people can do to stop if we don't have a dynamic economy, there is a risk that huge swathes ofjobs will be replaced by ai. risk that huge swathes of “obs will be replaced by alh be replaced by ai. pharmaceutical bosses say _ be replaced by ai. pharmaceutical bosses say al _ be replaced by ai. pharmaceutical bosses say ai could _ be replaced by ai. pharmaceutical bosses say ai could unlock - be replaced by ai. pharmaceutical bosses say ai could unlock a - bosses say ai could unlock a revolution in health care. innovating in bio farma is difficult. it can take a decade and billions and has a 90% failure rate. one in three of us will battle dementia. there are still many cancers that don't have solutions. there is no doubt that artificial intelligence is going to help us unlock better solutions to these

challenges. unlock better solutions to these challenges-— unlock better solutions to these challenues. �* , ,, ., , ., challenges. business leaders are excited that _ challenges. business leaders are excited that artificial _ challenges. business leaders are excited that artificial intelligence j excited that artificial intelligence could mean more innovation, better customer service, could mean more innovation, better customerservice, more could mean more innovation, better customer service, more productivity and profit, but they are less keen to talk about what it might do to staff numbers, workers' rights, which could change faster than people can be retrained or new rules of engagement can be written. ai is ready influencing our lives and the unions say the uk is falling behind when it comes to protecting workers from al making life changing decisions on hiring and firing and working conditions, and they want new safeguards. d0 working conditions, and they want new safeguards.— working conditions, and they want new safeguards. do not have any ai secific new safeguards. do not have any ai specific legislation _ new safeguards. do not have any ai specific legislation and _ specific legislation and increasingly that is meaning that we are international outliers. workers at full—back on the listing employment law system, but they don't go anywhere near far enough to meet the really radical changes that al poses in the workplace and our ai poses in the workplace and our society as a whole. can ai poses in the workplace and our society as a whole.— society as a whole. can i go with ou? society as a whole. can i go with you? even _ society as a whole. can i go with you? even the — society as a whole. can i go with you? even the creative - society as a whole. can i go with you? even the creative arts - society as a whole. can i go with you? even the creative arts feel|

you? even the creative arts feel their rights _ you? even the creative arts feel their rights under— you? even the creative arts feel their rights under attack. - you? even the creative arts feel| their rights under attack. access voices are being sampled, recreated and used without paying people like lawrence. tt and used without paying people like lawrence. , ., ., ., and used without paying people like lawrence. ., ., , ., lawrence. if you want to use our material. — lawrence. if you want to use our material. you — lawrence. if you want to use our material, you need _ lawrence. if you want to use our material, you need to _ lawrence. if you want to use our material, you need to be - lawrence. if you want to use ourj material, you need to be upfront lawrence. if you want to use our - material, you need to be upfront you need to license it for a short—term, it can't be individually, and there has to be compensation. if my voice is stolen, if my image is stolen, my career is over. qt is stolen, if my image is stolen, my career is over-— career is over. ai is a technology with great _ career is over. ai is a technology with great power— career is over. ai is a technology with great power and _ career is over. ai is a technology with great power and even - career is over. ai is a technology with great power and even its . with great power and even its biggest fans set must be used with great responsibility. some breaking news now. he stayed up in parliament is scheduled to take place on november the 7th. that's an from penny mordaunt, leader of the house of commons. she hasjust reported that. again, the state opening of parliament will take place on november the 7th. a new video has

emerged which appears to show wagner mystery boss renewing his criticism of russia but will conduct in the war in ukraine the dip nick beake reports. back in business in belarus, the former hot dog seller apparently reunited with his private army. the face hard to make out but the voice certainly sounds like yevgeny prigozhin. the man who defied president putin and lived to tell the tale. for now. this was the last we had seen of prigozhin, nearly a month ago, just after calling off his rebellions dip hours earlier, his wagnerforces had been on the road to moscow, fuelled by their boss's discussed at the top russian generals running the war in ukraine. vladimir putin had vowed to

crush the traitors, advancing on the capital. before a deal was brokered and the rebellion fizzled out. today, the head of m16 said it had been a humiliation for the russian president. tt’s been a humiliation for the russian resident. �* , ., ., ., , ., president. it's extraordinary for ti if ou president. it's extraordinary for tip if you look— president. it's extraordinary for tip if you look at _ president. it's extraordinary for tip if you look at putting - president. it's extraordinary for tip if you look at putting busker behaviour on that day, prigozhin started as a trade at breakfast and he had been pardoned by supper and a few days later he was invited for tea so there are some things that even the chief of m16 finds a little bit difficult to interpret. plan come across as part of the deal, wagner forces come across as part of the deal, wagnerforces were to come across as part of the deal, wagner forces were to relocate to belarus and we think it's from a military base south of the capital this latest video was filmed. a month ago here,— this latest video was filmed. a month ago here, this latest video was filmed. a month auo here, ., , ., ., month ago here, there was nothing to see today day — month ago here, there was nothing to see today day row _ month ago here, there was nothing to see today day row upon _ month ago here, there was nothing to see today day row upon row _ month ago here, there was nothing to see today day row upon row of - month ago here, there was nothing to see today day row upon row of white l see today day row upon row of white tents. this footage is hard to make out it is illuminating. prigozhin seems to reenergise his criticism of the russian military top brass,

renting the situation in ukraine a disgrace. he suggests his mercenaries, who played such a key part on the front line, may go back there in the future. there've been more sightings of asian hornets in dover. all across the world, insects are on the move as a result of climate change. the national bee unit confirmed the sightings of the hornets, which pose a risk to honey bees. and here's what those hornets are capable of. here, you can see them attacking honey bees and carrying them away. nicola spence is defra's chief plant and bee health officer. she told me what threat they pose to native species in the uk. the threat really is to our honeybees. a single asian hornet can eat up to 50 honeybees a day, so a swarm of asian hornets could destroy a whole apiary of honeybees. and obviously our honeybees are very important because they are key pollinators.

and if the asian hornet has been in europe, there have been sightings of it for 20 years. are there any ways to deal with it that also will not kill off other insects that we do want in the uk? yes, well, we can direct our efforts at the asian hornet if we find a credible sighting. what we do is the national bee unit of the animal and plant health agency set up a unit and we bait apiaries with traps to attract the hornets, and then we can track and trace them back to their nest. so the key objective is to find the nest and destroy it safely. we use pesticide and then we remove the nest, and then we do genetic studies on it in the laboratory to try and work out where those particular asian hornets came from. because what we need to do is make sure that we respond quickly to any findings. find the nest, destroy

it to reduce the risk of asian hornets establishing. so how quickly do you have to move if if there's already been sightings of asian hornets in dover, what threat does it pose to the wider region? so as soon as we get a credible finding, we immediately send a team, we investigate it. so, for example, last week we had a credible finding near dover and we quickly set up the unit. we found the nest within two days. we found it yesterday. so today that nest will be destroyed. so it really is very fast. we act within hours and days to take action because what we don't want to do is for these hornets potentially to spread. and what will happen in a nest is that you find that there will be a queen, and if that queen is mated, then she can lay eggs, she can fly off lay eggs and start a nest somewhere else. and this is what's happened in europe, particularly in france,

where we see a very extensive establishment of asian hornets' nests everywhere. and that means that the honeybees there are under real pressure. and of course, those french asian hornets can find their way across the channel. we've found them in cars, on ferries, in people's camping equipment. so we know that they can hitchhike their way here. and what they'll then do is try and find an apiary to find some honeybees to prey on. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor. this weekend, some strong winds, a cool feel and plenty of rain. rainfall will top up across the uk to go through the weekend. the bright colours, snowdonia, cumbria and south to scotland will seek the highest rainfall totals, potentially the greatest impact. this highest rainfall totals, potentially the greatest impact.— the greatest impact. this area of low pressure _

the greatest impact. this area of low pressure coming _ the greatest impact. this area of low pressure coming from - the greatest impact. this area of. low pressure coming from canada, the greatest impact. this area of- low pressure coming from canada, but for the time being reasonably well broken cloud across the uk. a few more showers for the afternoon and beyond. some of the most widespread will be impulsive central lowland scotland. elsewhere, many willspend the bulk of the day drive scotland. elsewhere, many will spend the bulk of the day drive while scotland. elsewhere, many willspend the bulk of the day drive while it will feel pleasant in the sunshine, temperatures down a bit on yesterday and still below where they should be at this stage injuly the that includes at old trafford and hoylake, with the ashes and the open taking place. increasing sunshine through the afternoon but breezy on the coach at hoylake this evening and overnight, the strongest breeze in the far north of scotland. the count in scotland and northern ireland remains further patchy rain for tomorrow morning temperatures tomorrow morning not far from this morning. down to single figures in some parts of the countryside. i drank bright start for many, but already patchy rain in central and southern scotland. a few showers

towards the south, many will stay dry, a few heavy showers to the north—east of scotland and temperatures tomorrow similar to today, but with cloud increasing from the west, not as much sunshine around. even less sunshine as we go into saturday. that area of low pressure spreading down from the north atlantic, the strumpet winds on the southern flank, so england and wales with the windiest conditions. the heaviest rain across central and western parts. east anglia and the south it not see rain until late in the day. the far north of scotland may stay dry and bright for saturday the temperatures in the teens for all, but colder when you have that wind and rain to the the low pressure pushes it through the night and into sunday, stronger winds developing into scotland at the north—east of england, and the northern half of the country will see the heaviest rain for the second half of the weekend.

live from london. this is bbc news. two