tv Verified Live BBC News September 19, 2024 4:00pm-4:31pm BST
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live from london, this is bbc news. hezbollah's leader accuses israel of "crossing all red lines" by detonating thousands of devices across lebanon, calling the attacks in which 37 were killed a "declaration of war." israel's military announces fresh strikes against hezbollah targets in lebanon, saying it's bringing "security to northern israel." the bbc reveals that the former harrods boss — the late mohamed al—fayed — the late mohamed al—fayed — has been accused of rape has been accused of rape by five female ex—employees. by five female ex—employees. monitoring a speech from hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. welcome to verified live. welcome to verified live. in the last hour, we've been in the last hour, we've been
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monitoring a speech from the hezbollah leader, hassan nazrallah, giving his first public response to two days of attacks in lebanon using sabotaged communication devices. the number of people killed has risen to 37, with over 3,000 wounded. the hezbollah leader accused israel of being behind the operation, which he said crossed a red line.
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oi’ or humanely with me is ou or. humanely r security with me is our security correspondent frank gardner. some of what he says is true, some of what he says is true, some is not. they are in real trouble, they are trashed, they in real some is not. they are in real trouble, they are trashed, they are in no position to fight a are in no position to fight a war right now, other than the war right now, other than the low level exchange of fire they low level exchange of fire they are doing across the border. are doing across the border. but where i think he is right but where i think he is right is when he says bring it on, we is when he it on, we welcome an invasion by the is when he says bring it on, we welcome an invasion by the israeli ground forces, we will israeli ground forces, receive them here. the last welcome an invasion by the israeli i them forces, welcome an invasion by the israeli i them here. 5, welcome an invasion by the israeli i them here. the last receive them here. the last time israeli ground forces went time israeli ground forces on to lebanon in 2006 in a receive them here. the last time lebanon>und forces receive them here. the last time lebanon in1d forces receive them here. the last time lebanon in 2006:es receive them here. the last time lebanon in 2006 in a major offensive, they did get a on to lebanon in 2006 in a major offensive, they did bloody nose, it ended and the on to lebanon in 2006 in a major offensi it, they did on to lebanon in 2006 in a major offensi it ended did on to lebanon in 2006 in a major offensi it ended and the inconclusive sort of stalemate bloody nose, it ended and the inconclusive sort of stalemate essentially, and israel found essentially, and israel found
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hezbollah to be a much tougher nut to crack than they thought. they have repositioned a lot of anti—tank devices, they have some very powerful anti—tank weapons, mines that were buried under the exact bit of the road where they thought israeli tanks would probably try and manoeuvre. so it israel does decide that it is going to go full tonto were he'll delete
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wounded. they were he'll delete night hailed as heroes, all of theirfighters who night hailed as heroes, all of their fighters who have night hailed as heroes, all of theirfighters who have been injured in this, but they have not denied that they are taking a big hit but the say that they will emerge from it more resilient. and do not underestimate the resilience of organisations such as hezbollah to be able to bounce back from things like this because the hide amongst the people, this is what most of the people. find is what most of the people. and he has repeated _ is what most of the people. and he has repeated in the last few they are both a political party and very much a in rt of the they are both a political party and very much a in the f the they are both a political party and very much a in the last few minutes there will be tough on he has repeated in the last few minutes there will be tough on retribution is just punishment retribution is just punishment for the blast we have seen over for the blast we have seen over the last couple of days. the last couple of days. hezbollah sit there in lebanon, hezbollah sit there in lebanon, just remind viewers... i mean, just remind viewers... i mean, we have heard comments on we have heard comments on condemnation from the lebanese condemnation from the lebanese government in terms of the government in terms of the civilians impacted by those civilians impacted by those explosions. how much influence, explosions. how much influence, control or do they have on the control or do they have on the lebanese government? film. lebanese government? film. control or do they have on the lebanese government? 0h, huge. control or do they have on the lebanese government? 0h, huge. the are the are lebanese government? 0h, huge. they are both _ lebanese government? 0h, huge. they are both _
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lebanese government? 0h, huge. they are both a — lebanese government? oh, huge. they are both a political— lebanese government? 0h, huge. they are both a political party - they are both a political party and very much a part of the lebanese government? 0h, huge. they are both a — lebanese government? oh, huge. they are both a political— lebanese government? 0h, huge. they are both a political party - they are both a political party and very much a part of the fabric of lebanese political life alongside other parties. lebanon is of course a multi—confessional country, it is a small place where people speak french, arabic, and english. you have various religious factions, all these different elements, so it has always been a very difficult
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different elements, so it has always be benjamin iifficult different elements, so it has always be benjamin netanyahu know that benjamin netanyahu extending the war aims, but under huge pressure from the far right, the extremists, within his own coalition government. so in terms of israel's strategy, what do you discern from what we have seen over the last couple of days? i think there might well be a bit of a gap between what the military chiefs want and the security establishment on one hand, and what the politicians want. let's be clear, this is the most hard right government in israel's historic since 1948. the security minister has been convicted of terrorism offences, he controls the police. the finance minister, these people are very much tied into the settled movement, they believe in not the west bank and an ultimate state for the palestinians, they believe it is the god—given right of the
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jews to live there and i would like to see the place cleansed of the palestinians who have been living there for essentially should have would like to see —— they would like to see the place cleansed. and through all of that, this was brought to light in the un yesterday, the palestinians want their own independent can tojust homeland in want their own independent can to just homeland in the west bank with eastjerusalem as their capital, and most of the bank with eastjerusalem as their capital, and most of the international community backed international community backed them in that, including western them in that, including western governments, but it is strongly governments, but it is strongly resisted by this government. resisted by this government. israeli prime minister benjamin israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu knows that if he netanyahu knows that if he makes a deal that is against makes a deal that is against the wishes of the far right the wishes of the far right elements of his government, his elements of his government, his coalition will collapse. he coalition will collapse. he put as will have to call elections and will have to call elections and he will probably lose, many he will probably lose, many people speculate that he will then end up in court on people speculate that he will then end up in court on corruption charges, possibly corruption charges, possibly even facing jail. that is the even facing jail. that is the back story to what is going on back story to what is going on at the moment.— at the moment.— back story to what is going on at the moment. frank, stay with me. we back story to what is going on at the moment. frank, stay with me. we at the moment. frank, stay with me- we were — at the moment. frank, stay with me. we were just _ at the moment. frank, stay with me. we were just showing - at the moment. frank, stay with me- we were — at the moment. frank, stay with me. we were just _ at the moment. frank, stay with me. we were just showing -
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at the moment. frank, stay with me. we were just showing you l me. we were just showing you the skyline of beirut. let me at the moment. frank, stay with me. we were just showing you l me. we were just showing you the skyline of beirut. let me put that back—up. because of course we are also reporting about that. a new wave of strikes against hezbollah targets inside lebanon is already under way, and the israeli government has made it clear they will respond to any rockets fired into israel by hezbollah. israel is responding _ israel by hezbollah. israel is responding by _ israel by hezbollah. israel is responding by force - israel by hezbollah. israel is responding by force to - israel by hezbollah. israel is responding by force to this | responding by force to this aggression by hezbollah. we will use _ aggression by hezbollah. we will use all means necessary to restore — will use all means necessary to restore security to our northern border and to safely return — northern border and to safely return our— northern border and to safely return our citizens to their homes _ return our citizens to their homes. we will respond with force — homes. we will respond with force to _ homes. we will respond with force to this unprovoked aggression from hezbollah. we can go live now tojerusalem and our correspondent daniel de simone. they will be monitoring that speech, just like we have been. what do you think the likely reaction will be when it is
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very clearly laid down that that objective of benjamin netanyahu, israelis will be able to return to their homes in northern israel because they have been evacuated for many months now, hezbollah saying that will not happen.— that will not happen. yes, he has made — that will not happen. yes, he has made that _ that will not happen. yes, he has made that point, - that will not happen. yes, he has made that point, he - that will not happen. yes, he has made that point, he has| has made that point, he has made two main points, really. 0ne, he is saying that the war goal has been set of returning
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as well, but ends, we will stop as well, but obviously israelis would not trust anything he actually said, but that is what he is saying. and he is saying we will carry on, we are not going to stop, hezbollah will not stop and it will not be deterred by what has happened this week in lebanon and by the air strikes today. the air strikes today really got under way just strikes today really got under wayjust before hassan way just before hassan nazrallah wayjust before hassan nazrallah began speaking. you had finished speaking just a short while ago. and israel has division of the israeli army move while| division of the israeli army move while ago. and israel has been striking targets short while ago. and israel has been striking targets throughout southern lebanon. throughout southern lebanon. colleagues in beirut have colleagues in beirut have reported seeing israeli fighter reported seeing israeli fighter jets or hearing israeli fighter jets or hearing israeli fighter jets or hearing israeli fighter jets or hearing israeli fighter jets very low over the capital jets very low over the capital beirut. , ., ., beirut. , ., ., beirut. give me a little more detail about _ beirut. give me a little more detail about _ beirut. give me a little more detail about those _ beirut. give me a little more detail about those troop - detail about those troop movements we have been hearing moved beirut. give me a little more detail about those _ beirut. give me a little more detail about those troop - detail about those troop movements we have been hearing about, going from gaza up to about, going from gaza up to northern israel, and give me a northern israel, and give me a sense of where the public is sense of where the public is with all of this.— with all of this.— with all of this. that was confirmed _ with all of this. that was confirmed yesterday, . with all of this. that was confirmed _ with all of this. that was confirmed yesterday, .
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with all of this. that was | confirmed yesterday, the division of the israeli army with all of this. that was | confirmed yesterday, the division of the israeli army moved from the south and had been fighting in gaza, and it moved yesterday to the north. that now means there are two divisions of the israeli army in the north, leaving two focus on gaza, so if a significant increase in troop numbers and resources in the north. that plus does not mean there will be a grand vision, but as part of what we have been seeing all week, an increase in the rhetoric from israeli leaders, talking about there is now a core war goal of returning citizens to the north.
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core war goal of returning citizens to toe north. core war goal of returning citizens to to getting the also a link to getting the conflict with hezbollah to a ceasefire as well, which would allow the people in the north to return home. there are other people who see that as something they don't want to do, they are not talking about ceasefires, they are saying they want to defeat hamas and hezbollah and they want to get the goal two achieved by that, so there's really a mixed opinion here. but as frank was saying, the israeli government is certainly the most far right government in a israeli history, benjamin netanyahu has people in his government who do not want to see any compromise with hezbollah or hamas, and he has different pressures on him, so what actually happens next in terms of the israeli military action, wejust in terms of the israeli military action, we just don't know. certainly from the rhetoric, if there was then an invasion, you could see that coming off the rhetoric. but given what we know about what the consequences of a bigger war could be, that might not
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happen. war could be, that might not ha en. war could be, that might not hauen. ., , happen. daniel, thanks very much. happen. daniel, thanks very much- one _ happen. daniel, thanks very much. one more _ happen. daniel, thanks very much. one more question i happen. daniel, thanks very i much. one more question with frank gardner, because as we were listening to daniel there, another part of this jigsaw is iran, and some latest comments from the revolutionary guard. yes, this is from iran's revolutionary guard, saying yes, this is from iran's revolutionary guard, saying that israel will face a that israel will face a crushing response from the axis crushing response from the axis of resistance. the axis of of resistance. the axis of resistance as the iranian resistance as the iranian inspired phase for the loose inspired phase for the loose alliance of all iran's boxes alliance of all iran's boxes around the middle east. this around the middle east. this includes both hamas and includes both hamas and hezbollah and various militias hezbollah and various militias in iraq and syria. we have the in iraq and syria. we have the kind of distinguish the words kind of distinguish the words from the actions here. from the actions here. unfortunately, right now, in unfortunately, right now, in
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the world of tit—for—tat where the world of tit—for—tat where people feel the need to people feel the need to respond to things, right now you have got iran considering that they have got an unsettled score with israel, the hamas political leader in tehran on july the 31st, which was a humiliating blow ensuring that every known security was compromised right at the heart in their own capital. really embarrassing for them, for a country that is obsessed with security. and you also have hezbollah, who have been humiliated and injured, wounded, angry, sore over these communication devices that have been blowing up in people's pockets and hands. so both of those, two hours, powerful allies, a lot of weapons at their disposal, are angry and looking for revenge against israel. and there's a limit to how much the call for restraint from the international committee will have an on them. frank, thanks once again.
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let's speak to dr h a hellyer, senior associate fellow at the carnegie endowment for international peace. thank you for waiting patiently for me to come to you. thank you for that. give me your assessment in terms of what you have heard from hezbollah�*s leader over the last hour, and where you think we are now in the middle east.— the middle east. first, thank ou ve the middle east. first, thank you very much. _ the middle east. first, thank you very much, always - the middle east. first, thank you very much, always a - you very much, always a pleasure to be on your programme, matthew. ithink pleasure to be on your programme, matthew. i think the reality is that israel intended to send a message, and hezbollah has responded. hezbollah has responded. hezbollah has responded. hezbollah has made it very clear that there will be no decoupling of the conflict between southern lebanon and gaza, and that hezbollah will continue engaging with israel in a military fashion in the south of leven on for as long as israel is engaged in bombarding gaza. —— the south
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of lebanon, in terms of returning is reallys to the north, i think the question would be how exactly they intend to do that without a full—scale ground invasion and buffer zone of southern lebanon, something the israelis tried once before and failed to hold onto, and it was incredibly painful for israel. but do you think that ground invasion is closer, given everything that has been said out of israel over the last couple of days? and as you were giving with an answerjust now, let me tell you that the israeli military has said that two israeli soldiers
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israeli military has said that two israel we .diers israeli military has said that two israel we will s israeli military has said that two israel we will not forget, that, that we will not forget, because i heard earlier on in your programme about american led village and the inability of israel's allies to actually get it to listen. it is not an inability, it is a lack of will to use the leverage that actually exists beyond rhetoric. the united states has an incredible amount of leverage both in terms of political support at the united nations security council but also of course financial support and military support in terms of the provision of arms offensive and defensive to the israeli two, and none of us has come under question. if it did, i think we would see a very different policy been discussed by the israelis regarding gaza and also southern lebanon as well. i and also southern lebanon as well. ., .,
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and also southern lebanon as well. . ., , well. i had that point as my next question, _ well. i had that point as my next question, because - well. i had that point as my i next question, because when well. i had that point as my - next question, because when we talk previously, we were talking specifically about the conflict in gaza, you had made that point, that the rhetoric was constantly the same but the leaders were not being used by the americans. and you said to me then that red lines were being laid, but then allowed to being laid, but then allowed to be crossed. do you think that is what we have seen again over the last few days with a new phase of the war being announced by israel with these communication device attacks? i do, but i think they are also connected. if the israelis are convinced, and i think they should be convinced, that irrespective of what lines they cross, they will continue to act without accountability from washington, dc, then they will cross those lines and they will cross those lines and they will cross more lines. the americans made it very clear that they did not want escalation in southern lebanon, they made it
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clear that this is very risky and a very bad idea, and israel have gone ahead and done it anyway. they did it in terms of this attack using these pagers and walkie—talkies and so on, which was widely condemned by many western countries. i think it was the belgian foreign minister that said it was an incredible terrorist attack, and been widescale condemnation in that regard. but of course the israelis will continue make these moves for as long as they feel they have impunity to do so, and the reality is they do have impunity to do so, and it creates an environment... find creates an environment... and ou creates an environment... and you think _ creates an environment... and you think that _ creates an environment... and you think that is _ creates an environment... and you think that is not _ creates an environment... and you think that is not going to change? you think that is not going to chance? ., ~' change? no, ithink unfortunately - change? no, ithink unfortunately the i change? no, ithink- unfortunately the escalation paradigms, which is so dangerous that it risks plummeting the region into an even more massive and destructive war and conflict, is made more possible by a lack of accountability. and what we
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really need art moves designed to de—escalate, notjust in south lebanon but more generally. south lebanon but more generally-— south lebanon but more renerall . ~ ., ., ., generally. we have to leave it there, generally. we have to leave it there. but _ generally. we have to leave it there, but thank _ generally. we have to leave it there, but thank you - generally. we have to leave it there, but thank you for - there, but thank you for joining us on today's programme. plenty more on this story, which has dominated the around the world and across the uk, ti which bc news. around the world and across the uk, ti which hasiews. the last hour and a half, who also story, which has dominated the last hour and a half, who also turned to some of the other turned to some of the other stories making the headlines stories making the headlines here in just a here in just a stories making the headlines here injust a moment stories making the headlines here in just a moment or two. stories making the headlines here injust a moment stories making the headlines here in just a moment or two. around the world and across the around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. uk, this is bbc news.
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around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news from that lines that have come from that statement, because hassan nazrallah accused israel of crossing all the red lines, but acknowledging that the explosions with the community shall devices, that the group had suffered a major and unprecedented blow. he said that more than 4000 pages were distributed to members of that group —— pagers. he said the group —— pagers. he said the group had increased readiness of all their weapons and all theirfighters, but had it message to israel, saying that they would not be able to return the residents of northern israel took their homes. those people have of course been evacuated, that is one of objectives of benjamin netanyahu, saying that that will not happen and again, talking in great detail about the impact of those explosions and warning that there would be
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and warning that there would be a response, repeating some of the lines we have heard over the lines we have heard over the last couple of days, but not articulating exactly what that response will be. we will be live in the beirut with doubling in a moment, buti just to show you the pictures we referenced earlier, these are the jets that flew very low over beirutjust are the jets that flew very low over beirut just at the start of that televised address. it was reported that the jets were flying so low that they broke the sound barrier, certainly a warning there from the israelis. they have made more strikes in southern lebanon of the day and overnight, just in the last little while, israeli military
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so maybe two of the soldiers have been killed in the border area. live to beirut now, let's get your thoughts on what it has been like being in beirut over the last 48 hours. we have seen so much panic on the street, people trying to get away from other people holding devices. yes, i don't know that we have gonein yes, i don't know that we have gone in the last year, if we have gone through a period like the last 48 hours. we have seen a long tradition of people who were not hezbollah supporters coming out and supporting hezbollah because we have not seen to be rude or anything else beyond the south struck. we saw some very targeted
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strikes in beirut, but the last 48 hours have been very different. people are scared anyway that they have not been before, they are scared to go to supermarkets, they are scared of getting in a cab, they are scared of there being hezbollah members with pages anywhere, with walkie—talkies, so it really feels like we have entered a different time period in lebanon. the sonic booms that we heard, the breaking of the sound barrier by the israeli militaryjets that we had at the top of this nazrallah speech, the tension that has built up in the last 48 hours has been very reminiscent of the days following the very deadly blast of the beirut port in 2020. we have seen hospitals stretched thin, similarto have seen hospitals stretched thin, similar to how they were at the time, hundreds and hundreds of operations within
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24 hours on eyes and hands, so that has spread a lot of fearful people. so i think people are reluctant to leave their houses and scared anyway they have not been before, it has definitely been a game changer. has definitely been a game chanaer. �* ., , .,, changer. and do people feel that they — changer. and do people feel that they are _ changer. and do people feel that they are very _ changer. and do people feel that they are very much - changer. and do people feel l that they are very much closer to that all—out war that so many in lebanon fear? to that all-out war that so many in lebanon fear? yeah, i think there _ many in lebanon fear? yeah, i think there has _ many in lebanon fear? yeah, i think there has been _ many in lebanon fear? yeah, i think there has been kind - many in lebanon fear? yeah, i think there has been kind of. many in lebanon fear? yeah, i | think there has been kind of an aloofness that has developed, sometimes very typical of lebanon because it has been through a lot and continues to go through a lot, but in beirut specifically, the very densely populated capital, people have been seen when the war comes and other people have to remind them that the waters here, it is just limited to the south, which has been mostly evacuated. but now it feels like the waters here. the videos i think specifically of the supermarket were something that scared a lot of people, pages going off in offices, you
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have the lebanese airport ban, travel with pagers and walkie—talkies, everyone is scared, messages are being forwarded on whatsapp saying don't talk to people who don't know, that is not something we have witnessed before. it feels very much like the waters closer. .. . very much like the waters closer. ., ., ~ very much like the waters closer. ., ., ,, , closer. sarah, thank you very much for _ closer. sarah, thank you very much for being _ closer. sarah, thank you very much for being with - closer. sarah, thank you very much for being with us. - closer. sarah, thank you very much for being with us. we l closer. sarah, thank you very . much for being with us. we have to leave it there, but a very graphic account of what it feels like there are living through all of this in beirut the last couple of days, and interesting, sarahjust interesting, sarah just describing how interesting, sarahjust describing how different it actually felt despite everything that has been going on over the last 12 months. more on that story and also the rest of all of the headline stories here on bbc news coming up, we will also have the day's business news, all of that here
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on bbc news in the next few moments. don't go away. hello there. good afternoon. well, it's still warm and dry today, with plenty more blue sky and sunshine to come, despite that rather murky start. now, yesterday, temperatures reached 26 celsius in the far north of scotland. here today, it's slightly cooler, but still the sunshine continues, particularly out towards the west. and for the rest of the week, well, temperatures remain above the seasonal average. it's going to be cooler and cloudier always for eastern—facing coasts. expect some wet weather across the southern half of the uk on friday and through the weekend. cloud and through the weekend. could linger for some time, cloud could lingerfor some time, with the onshore breeze, was going to be feeling cooler, keep the cloud across parts of
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aberdeenshire perhaps down to east anglia. still warm for western scotland and for northern ireland in particular. as we head through this evening and overnight, it is the same thing all over again, the clearest skies out towards the north and west. expect mist and fog patches to develop here. a chilly start to the day tomorrow. very mild in the south—east, ii to 15 or 16 celsius here into friday morning. mist and fog brought lift and clear readily through the morning, some sunshine for the morning, some sunshine for the north and west, showers will start to pop up across east anglia and the south—east of england, tracking further west, maybe in rumble or two of thunder and some heavy downpours of rain. still warm, though, 28 to 23 celsius in the far south and east, and still 23 celsius the best for eastern scotland. more wet weather on saturday, heavy possibly thundershowers pushing in from the south with this unstable
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air across wales in the southern half of england, but again further north with high pressure hanging on, it will still be dry, and once again the best of the sums and will be for western scotland, north—west england, and for northern ireland. and then there will be more widespread thundershowers potentially on sunday, that will clear away as we head into monday, and then on tuesday, back to south—westerly winds. it will be quite unsettled as we head through next week and it could possibly turn a bit colder as well.
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