Skip to main content

tv   BBC News Now  BBC News  September 9, 2024 12:00pm-12:31pm BST

12:00 pm
a re are in one is on its knees. we are in one hospital were 700 children have died within six months. you hear the — died within six months. you hear the statistics _ died within six months. you hear the statistics but - died within six months. um. hear the statistics but this is what it looks like on the front line. a baby dies a couple of hours later. saysin says in venezuela it is anti—democratic measures. let's just take you at the start of this our to hyde park.
12:01 pm
where you will see a prime example of pomp and spectacle in the uk. under way to mark the second anniversary of king charles ascension. let's listen for a let's listen in for a moment. that was the royal horse artillery. 41 runs in total fired here, and a basic gun salute involves 21 run but because this is happening in a
12:02 pm
royal park an additional 20 rounds fired and those guns just before this took place were carried along through the park at a gallop by teams of horses and the guns then detached and set up to fire, firing blanks. this role gun salute marking the second anniversary of the accession of king charles ii to the throne. a special report from afghanistan now, a country where millions of children are malnourished and clear several children have died in the last six months. this is a crisis with children living in extreme poverty after years of war caused economic collapse. the delivery of aid is becoming much harder since the taliban to control in 2021. bbc
12:03 pm
reporter sabine in this is what an average morning looks like at this hospital. hundreds fill every corner and every passage is extreme poverty she's more children into disease every day. this is what an average morning looks like at jalalabad's main hospital. hundreds throng every corner, every passage, as extreme poverty pushes more children into disease each day. zara, 13 months old, one of 3 million malnourished zara, 13 months old, one of three million malnourished children in the country. a disease that's ravaging afghanistan's youngest.
12:04 pm
for every child here who's made it to a tiny bit of space in critical care, four others have not. at seven months, bibi hajra looks like a newborn. her mother, amina, has already lost six children. "it's like doomsday for me. my children are dying because we have nothing to feed them," she told us. sharing the same bed is three—year—old sana. her mother died while giving birth to her baby sister a few months ago. this is ilham. he's three, suffering from malnutrition and pneumonia. his sister died of the same diseases at the age of two. in this one room, there were dozens of stories of death. nasiba has lost four children. and now she watches as her baby girl asma struggles for life. her tiny body racked
12:05 pm
with multiple infections. by the time she was brought here, asma was already in a serious condition. translation: it's like the | flesh is melting off my body. i can't bear to watch my child suffering like this. asma went into septic shock. an hour later, she died. 700 children have died here in six months, at least three a day. we found out about the death of baby asma when we came back to this ward to just check in on her and what we can see in front of us already in the half a bed that she left empty there's another desperately sick child. this is baby aaliyah, three months old, severely malnourished and suffering from several other complications as well.
12:06 pm
and this is what it's like before anyone in this room, before the doctors, before the nurses have had time to register or recover from the loss of a child, another baby has to be brought in because there are just so many of them in need. you hear the statistics, but this is what it looks like on the front line. a baby dies. a couple of hours later, another sick baby brought in. over the past three years, we've been to dozens of health facilities documenting the crisis. now, children are dying at a frightening pace from a lack of nutrition and curable diseases. umrah has severe pneumonia. a nurse tries to stabilise her. the treatment available at this hospital is only possible because aid agencies have stepped in to fund healthcare since the taliban took over.
12:07 pm
"i'm extremely scared about what might happen to my child. i wish i was suffering in her place," umrah�*s mother, nasreen, says. two days later, umrah also died. these deaths are being counted. but in the communities outside the hospital, children are dying silently. and there's also an underreported but alarming surge in stunting. it's affected a staggering 45% of afghan children under the age of five. mohammed is two. far shorter than he should be and he cannot stand yet. translation: the doctor has told me that if he gets -
12:08 pm
treatment for the next three to six months he will be fine, but we can't even afford food. how do we pay for the treatment? i'm scared he will become disabled and he will never be able to walk. stunting can lead to irreversible physical and mental damage. in lane after lane, we see children at risk. it's in these communities where aid has been most dramatically cut. but where it is given, we find evidence of how it helps. eight—month—old mujib used to be severely malnourished. his father says the food sachets they receive have significantly improved his condition. and from back at the hospital, there's good news. bibi hajra was in a fragile state when we saw her. but with the right intervention, she's now well enough to be discharged. yogita limaye, bbc news, jalalabad.
12:09 pm
0ne positive story at the end of the report but at desperately difficult but important watch. we had had its plane had a what going on in that hospital is only possible because of money coming through from aid agencies. how difficult is it to get that money into afghanistan to the places and people when it is desperately needed?- places and people when it is desperately needed? there are multile desperately needed? there are multiple layers _ desperately needed? there are multiple layers of— desperately needed? there are multiple layers of this - multiple layers of this heart—rending situation. about three years ago the taliban decided to take power by military force and that ruptured the relationship afghanistan had with international donors. most of the aid disappeared overnight, all the military support and all the military support and all that money the foreign armies used to spend in afghanistan. the economy shrank by about a quarter and has not really recovered even though
12:10 pm
humanitarian aid has come back on stream in really large amounts but it can't cover that gap- amounts but it can't cover that gap. so the country is a lot poorer as a starting point and then you have the taliban instituting policies which make it even harder so banning women from a lot of different types of work and banning girls from secondary and university education will affect the number of midwives and doctors and nurses and women that can go into the profession. and households are really struggling economically as well. , , , ., well. given the desperate ”liht well. given the desperate plight we _ well. given the desperate plight we see _ well. given the desperate plight we see of - well. given the desperate plight we see of the - well. given the desperate i plight we see of the children in the report, is this all about the taliban or should the west be reviewing its approach and if money does going is all about getting to the intended recipients? it’s about getting to the intended recipients?— about getting to the intended reciients? �*, ., ., recipients? it's both. you have tea parties _ recipients? it's both. you have tea parties and _ recipients? it's both. you have tea parties and the _ recipients? it's both. you have tea parties and the western i tea parties and the western donors and want to give money that will sustain —— the —— you
12:11 pm
have two parties. they don't want to give money that will sustain the taliban regime. and the taliban have spent about half the budget on police and army and if they pay their people wages that is not going to schools or hostages are health care so i would say it's a horrible situation on both sides and as we saw in the report little children are suffering. women in childbirth, poverty rates, more than a third of the population don't have enough money to eat every day so that is how bad it is. so the difficult calculation for western governments and other governments who will put money into afghanistan before the taliban taking control as if they send money to help
12:12 pm
people is that money getting to people is that money getting to people like these little children and babies are is it going into popping up the taliban regime? —— propping up. it's not going into the taliban regime. in the old days donor just to give money to the afghan government and now it goes directly through the un and the united nations and non—government officers. that is a political choice not to have money going to taliban ministers on both sides. western donors don't want to provide money they fear will help sustain the taliban regime and put money directly into life—saving aid, food aid and
12:13 pm
aid that helps the health system. the typical monetary and aid choices. meanwhile the taliban perceived politics which are anathema to most afghans in terms of education of girls. just this last month they brought out a new report that cranked up restrictions on women even further so that women's voices are now deemed to be such that it will tempt men if they ahead by unrelated men. both sides have taken political choices. irate men. both sides have taken political choices.— men. both sides have taken political choices. we are out of time but _ political choices. we are out of time but thank _ political choices. we are out of time but thank you - political choices. we are out of time but thank you very l political choices. we are out - of time but thank you very much for talking to us today. this is bbc news.
12:14 pm
12:15 pm
the us secretary of state antony blinken has said that the exile of the venezuelan president in spain as a direct result of far right policies. this is his plane as it landed in madrid and he left venezuela after taking refuge in the spanish town of caracas. he told supporters in an audio message he was threatened until the moment he fled. let's speak to a spanish writer and political commentator based in madrid. what more can you tell us about how mr gonzales actually ended up in madrid? i
12:16 pm
understand before he was in caracas he was in the netherlands embassy stop that is a key point — netherlands embassy stop twat is a key point being netherlands embassy stop ii�*ué�*ii is a key point being discussed today by the media. what is the role of spain and this deal? it has to be seen as partly personal decision mr gonzales to go into exile but also an expulsion. that is why the role of spain is being helping mr gonzales to get exile safe and sound are on the other hand perhaps at the same time it is help the government in caracas to get rid of problem and there we still don't have enough information to decide whether it is one of the other but i think it will be very
12:17 pm
controversial. imac we do not know whether maduro the government of president sees this as an divide and conquer approach. mr this as an divide and conquer approach-— approach. mr gonzales is in sain. approach. mr gonzales is in spain. there _ approach. mr gonzales is in spain. there are _ approach. mr gonzales is in spain. there are a - approach. mr gonzales is in spain. there are a lot - approach. mr gonzales is in spain. there are a lot of. spain. there are a lot of venezuelans in spain but how do you think the presence of mr gonzales in spain might influence this spanish approach is towards the maduro government are opposition? mr government are opposition? m gonzales is not the actual leader of the venezuelan opposition. two real candidates were vetoed by the government. maria corina machado. so he is not organising the protest in
12:18 pm
caracas. forthe not organising the protest in caracas. for the opposition he is the president elect and the one election and they believe he is the president of spain. spain has given him asylum but stopped short of considering him the president elect. spain is in a grey zone where they don't recognise the victory maduro claims but at time don't recognise much of the opposition is claiming. they want the government to produce the electoral rackets with proof of which is which. this is a cautious course of action it is not sustainable and sooner or later the spanish government would have to decide who they believe is the real president of venezuela and if it happens to be mr gonzales and he is in spain that would cause trouble with the government in caracas. thank
12:19 pm
ou ve government in caracas. thank you very much _ government in caracas. thank you very much for _ government in caracas. thank you very much for your- you very much for your thoughts. the government says many wealthy pensioners do not need financial help of winter fuel payments and the change would save up to 1.2 billion pounds per year and help to feel that the treasury says it is a £22 billion hole in the country's finances inherited from the last government. the issue is worrying organisations who represent pensioners. dennis read from the silver voices group says the cut off is set too low. i, , , too low. on means testing generally _ too low. on means testing generally we _ too low. on means testing
12:20 pm
generally we do _ too low. on means testing generally we do supporter| generally we do supporter universal means tested payment that we suggest a cut—off point should be raised to the level of the higher rate of tax so instead of this very low because a point of generating points per week at the moment the government proposes we raise it so all those people on modest incomes with small incomes are protected this winter. the tuc is holding a conference this week and some of noted several unions have negotiated which rises for the government said it would freeze their winter fuel allowance pensioners.
12:21 pm
speaking to us earlier, the general secretary of the tuc, paul novak, says his members will be looking at the winter fuel payment cuts this week, it's not going to be a defeat for the government but a tricky ongoing problem for it. pensioners are missing out on winter fuel payments and when paul novak spoke this morning he said it is great hope is
12:22 pm
backin he said it is great hope is back in politics and wages are rising to didn't buy into their winter fuel payment cuts. some unions want to go back further and have the entire policy reversed and the head of the second biggest union unite seen the government was guilty of picking the pockets of pensioners and she wanted to see a wealth tax which will be debated this afternoon and that would fill the financial black hole on wednesday they will float specifically winter deal and it is highly likely you'll go for anything but a rethink. broadly paul novak was broadly supportive this morning but to focus in the movement were questioning the transition and unite said the government should rethink its entire
12:23 pm
fiscal rules so if you thought that would be a political honeymoon with the organisation that backed labour at the last election think again. and what is the thinking around this idea of a wealth tax which some unions say the government should look at? government considering that to plug the hole in public finances and potentially to avoid doing what it is putting on tomorrow and actually remove that winter fuel allowance for some pensioners? i don't think the government will move at all to adopting a wealth tax and i think there's a range of other things it is potentially looking at in the budget involving capital gains tax and inheritance tax which is not the main demand here but i think the debate on the wealth tax is basically a proxy for a repeat on the government future direction whether they are prepared to invest huge sums in the economy and who they are
12:24 pm
willing to tax in order to raise the sums in the first place. unite union claim a wealth tax on the top 1% could actually bring in £25 billion, more than the 22 billion black hole the question again is the argument over how it was spent because the argument by unite as it should go to above inflation pay increases and also help out local councils struggling not necessarilyjust filling a hole in public finances. so you will see an divergence in approach between those unions and the government. pope francis is in timor—leste state for the first
12:25 pm
visit since independence. huge crowds lined the streets to welcome him as he travelled from the airport in his open top vehicle. let's get more on the significance of this visit with a senior lecturer in politics and international studies from the university of the sunshine coast. lets talk more about the significance because when the pope celebrates the mass tomorrow as he is expected to do i think the majority of the population of the country will actually be there. , i, i, i, i, there. the estimate of around 700,000 — there. the estimate of around 700,000 800,000, - there. the estimate of around 700,000 800,000, about i there. the estimate of around | 700,000 800,000, about half there. the estimate of around i 700,000 800,000, about half of the country. there capital of dili has doubled for celebrations this weekend. they are expecting huge amounts of joyous celebrations and the visit of pope francis is hugely significant. timor—leste has
12:26 pm
around 97% catholic population, one of the highest proportions in the world and this is in the back of the referendum celebrations when 25 years ago timor—leste citizens voted for independence. in timor-leste citizens voted for independence.— independence. in this visit we see religion — independence. in this visit we see religion and _ independence. in this visit we see religion and politics i see religion and politics actually which close together. the catholic church has played a hugely important role during the resistance and the occupation from indonesia and it was a crucial force for protection and some called it the shield for the oppressed and the church really did lead and the church really did lead a central role in getting the independence movement seen on the international stage when popejohn paul ii in 1989 and this was very significant and he called for human rights protections in his homily is very supportive of the independence movements of this has not been forgotten by the population and we see the catholic population will increase after the portuguese
12:27 pm
left in 1975 and it is largely because of the hugely important role they helped lay in the independence movement. thank ou ve independence movement. thank you very much — independence movement. thank you very much for _ independence movement. thank you very much forjoining - independence movement. thank you very much forjoining us i you very much forjoining us today. these stay with us here on bbc news, much more to come. we are going to cross live to st pancras station in london where the medal winners and all of those involved with the paralympics gb effort at the games in paris are returning home and some pictures there from the station and sarah campbell will take us through a little more of what is happening there. the eagerly awaiting its arrival and i have to say it wasn't difficult for you to find a phenomenally
12:28 pm
successful athlete as they were going past you pick is pretty much they are all phenomenally successful. much they are all phenomenally successful-— successful. serra, so many medals and _ successful. serra, so many medals and let's _ successful. serra, so many medals and let's not i successful. serra, so manyj medals and let's not forget successful. serra, so many i medals and let's not forget 124 medals, equalling tokyo but more goals this year, 49 goals and 44 silver and 31 prawns and see that very carefully because the eyes of the chief of paralympics gb is steering only. shejoins me now. you must be absolutely made up after that. town—mac delighted. an incredible team performance in paris and i don't think we could be happier at in paris and i don't think we could be happie- in paris and i don't think we could be happier at this moment to be quite _ could be happier at this moment to be quite frank. _ could be happier at this moment to be quite frank. before - could be happier at this moment to be quite frank. before you i to be quite frank. before you went at uk — to be quite frank. before you went at uk sport _ to be quite frank. before you went at uk sport 's _ to be quite frank. before you went at uk sport 's edge i to be quite frank. before you went at uk sport 's edge at l to be quite frank. before you went at uk sport 's edge at a went at uk sport �*s edge at a target of 100 to 140 and she did it. what you think contributed to the success in paris? i contributed to the success in pans? ~ , . contributed to the success in paris? ~' , i, i, paris? i think the breadth of performances _ paris? i think the breadth of performances across - paris? i think the breadth of performances across the i paris? i think the breadth of- performances across the team's reach _ performances across the team's reach of — performances across the team's reach of the sports had medal 19 matches and wheelchair rugby
12:29 pm
'ust 19 matches and wheelchair rugby just pipped to the bronze medal but every— just pipped to the bronze medal but every sport contributed to the medal tally and i think that— the medal tally and i think that is— the medal tally and i think that is one of the strengths of paralympics gb is that depth of talent — paralympics gb is that depth of talent across the sport.- talent across the sport. tuned in 50 athletes _ talent across the sport. tuned in 50 athletes competed i talent across the sport. tuned in 50 athletes competed in i talent across the sport. tuned in 50 athletes competed in 19| in 50 athletes competed in 19 different sports and took medals and 18 of them. —— 250 athletes. you have one eye and los angeles, how do you improve on that? , los angeles, how do you improve on that? i on that? the first thing we will do is _ on that? the first thing we will do is reflect _ on that? the first thing we will do is reflect on - on that? the first thing we will do is reflect on paris i will do is reflect on paris with— will do is reflect on paris with all— will do is reflect on paris with all the national bodies so we have — with all the national bodies so we have 19 sport review meetings. lam going i am going to be back out in mt — i am going to be back out in mt we _ i am going to be back out in mt we go— i am going to be back out in la. we go again. we know the
12:30 pm
only— la. we go again. we know the only way— la. we go again. we know the only way to do that is to keep evolving _ only way to do that is to keep evolving our strategy. in only way to do that is to keep evolving our strategy.- evolving our strategy. in that chair isn't — evolving our strategy. in that chair isn't for _ evolving our strategy. in that chair isn't for another - evolving our strategy. in that chair isn't for another train i chair isn't for another train coming in, that is forward the departure of the power couple, hannah cockroft and nathan. they have their wedding coming up. b. they have their wedding coming u -. �* i, they have their wedding coming up. a level of separation is alwa s up. a level of separation is always good! _ up. a level of separation is always good! we _ up. a level of separation is always good! we met i up. a level of separation is always good! we met last| up. a level of separation is i always good! we met last when uk sorts always good! we met last when uk sports give _ always good! we met last when uk sports give you _ always good! we met last when uk sports give you the - always good! we met last when uk sports give you the medal. uk sports give you the medal target. what do you think of the games as a whole? when we spoke about that your mission was not only to show the best of paralympic sport, but also about the movement, moving forward. have they succeeded in paris? i, i forward. have they succeeded in paris? ii i i, i , paris? paris did an incredible 'ob. paris? paris did an incredible job- their— paris? paris did an incredible job. their wish _ paris? paris did an incredible job. their wish and _ paris? paris did an incredible job. their wish and was i paris? paris did an incredible job. their wish and was a i paris? paris did an incredible i job. their wish and was a game is wide — job. their wish and was a game is wide open. they wanted to
12:31 pm
embrace _

25 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on