Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News Now 20240910

We begin this hour with a Special Report from afghanistan. A country where millions of children are malnourished and white in one hospital 700 children have died in just the last six months. It is a humanitarian crisis that deepens every day with much of the Country Living in Extreme Poverty after years of war, causing economic collapse. The United Nations says more than three in children under the age of five are malnourished, with the delivery of aid becoming much harder since the taliban took control in 2021. The bbc� s Correspondent And Producer Imogen Anderson have been in the country for the last two weeks, chronicling the disaster, and a warning there report shows images of children in distress. This is what an average Morning Looks like at the hospital. Hundreds from every corner, every passage, as Extreme Poverty pushes more children into disease each day. Zahra, 30 months old, one of 3 Million malnourished children in the country. A disease that is ravaging afghanistans youngest. For every afg hanistan� s youngest. For every child afghanistans youngest. For every child here who has made it to a tiny bit of space in critical care, four others have not. At seven months, this baby looks like a newborn. Her mother has already lost six children. Translation it is like doomsday for me, my children are dying, she told us. Sharing the same bed is this three year old baby. Her mother died while giving birth to her Baby Sister a few months ago. This boy is three and 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. This woman has lost four children. And now she watches as her Baby Girl struggles for life. Hertiny watches as her Baby Girl struggles for life. Her tiny body rocked with multiple infections. By the time she was brought here, she was already in a series condition. Translation it is like the flesh is meltin of translation it is like the flesh is melting of my translation it is like the flesh is melting of my body, translation it is like the flesh is melting of my body, I Translation it is like the flesh is melting of my body, i Cant Translation it is like the flesh is melting of my body, I Cant Bear. Translation it is like the flesh is melting of my body, I Cant Bear to | melting of my body, I Cant Bear to watch my Child Suffering like this. She went into septic shock, and in our later she died. 700 children died here in six months. At least three a day. We found out about the death of the baby when we came back to this ward to check in on her, at what we can see already in the half a Bed She left md, there is another desperately sick child. She is three sold, severely malnourished and suffering from other complications as well three years old. This is what it is light, before the doctors, before the nurses have had time to register or recover from the loss of the 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, couple of hours later a sick baby is brought in. Over the past three years, weve been to dozens of Health Facilities documenting the crisis. Now children are dying at a frightening pace from are dying at a frightening pace from a lack of nutrition and curable diseases. This woman 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 Health Care since the taliban took over. Im stepped in to fund Health Care since the taliban took over. Im extremely scared whatll the taliban took over. Im extremely scared whatll happen the taliban took over. Im extremely scared whatll happen to the taliban took over. Im extremely scared whatll happen to my the taliban took over. Im extremely scared whatll happen to my child. I l scared whatll happen to my child. I wish i was suffering her place. Tiara wish i was suffering her place. Two da 5 wish i was suffering her place. Two days later. Wish i was suffering her place. Two days later. She wish i was suffering her place. Two days later, she also died. These deaths are being counted. But in the communities outside the hospital, children are dying silently. And theres also an underreported but alarming surge in it. It has affected a staggering 45 of afghan children under the age of five. Mohammed is too, for shorter than he should be comedy cannot stand yet. The doctor has told me that if he gets treatment for the next six months he will be fine, but we cant afford food. How do we pay for their Treatment Question what im scared he will be disabled and never be able to walk. He will be disabled and never be able to walk. Stunting can lead to irreversible able to walk. Stunting can lead to irreversible physical able to walk. Stunting can lead to irreversible physical and able to walk. Stunting can lead to irreversible physical and mental. Irreversible physical and mental damage. In lane at the lane we see children at risk. It is in these communities where aid has been most dramatically cut. But where it is given, we find evidence of how it helps. This baby used to be severely malnourished. His father says the food sachets they receive have significantly improved his condition. And from back at the hospital, theres good news. The baby was in a fragile state when we saw her. But with the right intervention, shes now well enough be discharged. And i been speaking to the director for afghanistan. And i been speaking to the director forafghanistan. He and i been speaking to the director for afghanistan. He told me more about the current situation. Visible i think the recent about the current situation. Visible i think the recent development about the current situation. Visible | i think the recent development that you are seeing at the moment across afghanistan is something we have been flagging for the last year also. And this is a Compound Effect of the economic situation, the Drought And Flooding in the country across afghanistan. They have treated 17,000 children across afghanistan who were facing acute malnourishment. These figures are just the tip of the iceberg of the situation afghan children are facing. Afghanistan has gone through in the last year sure surpluses. We had flooding, drought, disease, 6 Million people displaced. We have the economic situation, and we are hearing concerning reports about funding cuts. You have heard it through your reporters and we are seeing, i drove almost five hours in the middle of nowhere, driving through rivers and the mountains, we reached a community where there was a Health Facility. It was the only Health Facility available in the surrounding area. There is immediate need for resources. There is investment needed in the health sector. We have seen a decline in the resources available in the health sector, not from a funding aspect, but the country, the resources are going down. It impacts on the Health Situation in the country. Also the economic situation across the country has been worsening over the last. Because of what i said before. The climatic change impact, the flooding, the poor harvests. As i was mentioning, i have visited one of the provinces in the north where i went to a district, which is approximately four hours drive, not more than 45 minutes drive, but four hours drive, through mountains and rivers to reach a community where we are running a Health Facility, the only one available in the Driving Distance of two hours. The communities are depended on agriculture, the Climatic Impact has seriously impacted their livelihood. There is need for investment, need for investment in emergency response. We are concerned about the reports we are getting from capitals across international community that they need further reduce funding because of the priorities, and because of the priorities, and because of the priorities, and because of some political issues. We need to look at the impact of our actions in afghanistan. That need to look at the impact of our actions in afghanistan. Actions in afghanistan. That was sabre childrens actions in afghanistan. That was sabre childrens director. Actions in afghanistan. That was | sabre childrens director. Several major Trade Unions in the uk have appealed directly to Keir Starmer to reverse the decision to take away the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of Pensioners. The plan to make it a means tested was announced shortly after the election with both the primary Star And Chancellor insisting it is necessary and the money needs to be spent elsewhere. Some other government mps will abstain from a change rather than backing it. Trade unions are celebrating that labour is back. Under a Labour Government with hundreds to majority. Under a Labour Government with hundreds to majority. Hundreds to maority. Theres also anrer this hundreds to majority. Theres also anger this labour hundreds to majority. Theres also anger this Labour Government hundreds to majority. Theres also anger this Labour Government is i anger this Labour Government is taking the Winter Fuel Payment away from 10 Million Pensioners. I taking the Winter Fuel Payment away from 10 Million Pensioners. From 10 Million Pensioners. I think the chancellor, from 10 Million Pensioners. I think the chancellor, the from 10 Million Pensioners. I think the chancellor, the government i from 10 Million Pensioners. I think. The chancellor, the Government And Everyone down here this week will want to make sure that Pensioners arent in a position where they cant put on the heating this winter. It is right the chancellor thinks about the support she put in place were Pensioners. Thinks about the support she put in place were Pensioners. Tomorrow all bein. S place were Pensioners. Tomorrow all beinrs are place were Pensioners. Tomorrow all beings are expected place were Pensioners. Tomorrow all beings are expected to place were Pensioners. Tomorrow all beings are expected to vote place were Pensioners. Tomorrow all beings are expected to vote for place were Pensioners. Tomorrow all beings are expected to vote for a beings are expected to vote for a motion opposing the cuts. Two unions that represent 1. 2 million workers are calling on ministers to ditch the policy. If are calling on ministers to ditch the policy are calling on ministers to ditch the oli. , u,. ,. , the policy. If they continue along the policy. If they continue along the line they the policy. If they continue along the line they are the policy. If they continue along the line they are heading the policy. If they continue along the line they are heading with i the policy. If they continue along | the line they are heading with not just Winter Fuel Payments but social security, there will be a backlash and it could take the form of industrial action. Until now, all Pensioners have claimed the Winter Fuel allowance. Pensioners have claimed the Winter Fuelallowance. Under Pensioners have claimed the Winter Fuel allowance. Under the new policy, only Pensioners in receipt of benefits will be able to get it. Georgina is almost certain she will lose the payment. I am cutting back now on certain things. Ive got certain utilities i can broadly do without. I will do that for the next year so i can put extra on the gas. Is it fair on Pensioners . Ida. Year so i can put extra on the gas. Is it fair on Pensioners . Is it fair on Pensioners . No, it isnt, is it fair on Pensioners . No, it isnt. Really is it fair on Pensioners . No, it isnt, really. It is it fair on Pensioners . No, it isnt, really. It is is it fair on Pensioners . No, it isnt, really. It is tricky. Is it fair on Pensioners . No, it isnt, really. It is tricky. There| isnt, really. It is tricky. There are probably isnt, really. It is tricky. There are probably a isnt, really. It is tricky. There are probably a lot isnt, really. It is tricky. There are probably a lot of isnt, really. It is tricky. There are probably a lot of wealthy i are probably a lot of wealthy Pensioners and some say they wont take the Pensioners and some say they wont take the money, dont they . Yes, robabl. Take the money, dont they . Yes, probably the take the money, dont they . Yes, probably. The actor take the money, dont they . Yes, probably. The actor idris take the money, dont they . Ye probably. The actor Idris Elba was in number ten probably. The actor Idris Elba was in numberten to probably. The actor Idris Elba was in number ten to talk about knife crime. Keir starmer is another soviet pressure, notjust from the unions but is own mps is under severe pressure. I unions but is own mps is under severe pressure. Severe pressure. I dont think an bod severe pressure. I dont think anybody wants severe pressure. I dont think anybody wants to severe pressure. I dont think anybody wants to see severe pressure. I dont think anybody wants to see this severe pressure. I dont think anybody wants to see this proposal around the Winter Fuel allowance brought in. But actually as the Prime Minister has said, we will have to make tough decisions. Labour has been in have to make tough decisions. Labour has been in power have to make tough decisions. Labour has been in power for have to make tough decisions. Labour has been in power for less have to make tough decisions. Labour has been in power for less than have to make tough decisions. Labour has been in power for less than 100 l has been in powerfor less than 100 days, yet the signs or it could be losing the goodwill of some of its most ardent supporters. Personal stories from more than 30,000 people have firm part of the evidence. The latest phase will last until november. Our Health Editor has the details. The hearings have got under way on this latest module. We have heard in previous sessions about pre Pandemic Preparedness and there was a report that found significant flaws that came from the inquiry. We heard in the next module all about Government Decision making and all the whatsapp is an message is going back. For the first time in the third module what was happening on the nhs Front Line, wistar protected enough, given the right equipment, patients looked after . Did they pick up infections in hospitals which could have been avoided . The Inquiry Casey began by reminding the hearing that back at the very beginning in march 2020, borisjohnson said Stay At Home and protect the nhs. The question she asked, was the message successful and wasnt really needed in the first place . Wasnt really needed in the first lace . ,. , first place . What cost to those Eo Le first place . What cost to those people who first place . What cost to those people who did first place . What cost to those people who did not first place . What cost to those people who did not have first place . What cost to those | people who did not have covid . But they people who did not have covid . But they rely on Health Systems to treat but they rely on Health Systems to treat non disease Markers Systems to treat non disease Markers Systems. What cost to the physical systems. What cost to the physical and mental toll on health physical and mental toll on Health Care workers. What cost of those Health Care workers. What cost of those who Panel Visit loved ones. Of those who Panel Visit loved ones, who had to shield, to those ones, who had to shield, to those now ones, who had to shield, to those now living with long covid~ those now living with long covid. What cost to the families of all those patients and Health Care workers who died . And Health Care workers who died . ,. , , died . The inquiry went to spell out some died . The inquiry went to spell out some of died . The inquiry went to spell out some of the died . The inquiry went to spell out some of the areas died . The inquiry went to spell out some of the areas which i out some of the areas which will be considered, including this issue of ppe, where the right masks given at the right time to staff working on the Front Line with patient . She made the Point Hospital buildings in many cases were very old and not in a good state at the beginning of the pandemic, but in one Case Oxygen supplies had run solo patients had to be transferred out of one particular hospital. And that Staffing Numbers were too low before the pandemic. Had that been a contributory factor to less than ideal care . And with staff themselves getting sick, was that an area which could have been so much better . This Module Hearing will continue for ten weeks. And this is the scene live at the covid inquiry in london, you can see in your image. You can watch the proceedings there of the inquiry live on the bbc website. Four men have appeared in court following the deaths of two people in separate incidents during londons notting hill carnival. Omarwilson during londons notting hill carnival. Omar wilson is charged with murdering a man visiting the uk from dubai. The 41 your died from a bleed on his brain after allegedly being assaulted near the carnival route. Three other men have appeared at the Old Bailey following the death of a man who had gone to the carnival a woman. She was allegedly stabbed while trying to intervene in a fight. He is charged with murder and his brothers have been charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker. All three have been remanded in custody. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Serious says at least 16 people have been killed in what it says was a series of israeli air strikes. State media says five sites were targeted, including scientific Research Centres. Monitoring organisations say one of the sites was housing pro iranians weapons experts. Our middle East Correspondent is in beirut and he gave me this analysis of what was happening in neighbouring syria. There has been a sharp neighbouring syria. There has been a sharp increase neighbouring syria. There has been a sharp increase in neighbouring syria. There has been a sharp increase in the l been a sharp increase in the number of israeli attacks targeting locations inside syria since the start of the war. Many of those locations are weapons and munitions depots, facilities used by iran and iranians supported people, such as hezbollah, the main group in this alliance of factions across the middle east, supported by iran, the so called axis of resistance. One of the main goals is to try to disrupt this infrastructure that has been set Up To supply these groups with weapons. But still what happened yesterday was one of the most intense attacks so far. Reports say one of those locations hit was a Research Centre in the province in syria, believed to have housed iranians military experts. Theres been some strong reaction from iran. The arabian Foreign Ministry rejected there is suggesting they were being used. They said it was syrian sites. They described these attacks as a Criminal Act by israel. There wasnt any reaction from israel, they rarely react to these reports of strikes inside syria. Again, ithink these reports of strikes inside syria. Again, i think this shows how tense these relations between Israel And Iran has been. Remember, back in april iranians diplomatic compound in damascus was hit. A number of senior Military Officers were killed iran retaliated with an unprecedented missile and Drone Attacks on israel. Most recently injuly, the Hamas Political Chief was assassinated. The Israeli Military was believed to have been behind the killing, which was humiliating by, for the iranians. Iran has vowed to respond to that assassination, which hasnt happened yet. It shows these tensions between Iran And Israel have been extremely high in recent months. Extremely high in recent months extremely high in recent months. ,. Months. The chief of police in El Salvador months. The chief of police in El Salvador who months. The chief of police in El Salvador who owned El Salvador who owned international praise for the way he led the recent efforts to tackle gangs has died in a helicopter crash. The Commissioner General was in the aircraft which was also transporting a suspect in a multi million dollar fraud case, detained in honduras. The president of El Salvador said he was a national hero and that the crash would be investigated thoroughly with international assistance. In gaza, the United Nations and local health authorities are moving to the north to vaccinate more children against polio. The campaign aims to immunise 640,000 children out of the first case in 25 years. Un official said they are making progress having reached more than half of the children needing vaccination. One update on the roll out, i spoke to the deputy director. Taste on the rollout, i spoke to the deputy director. Deputy director. We were successful deputy director. We were successful in deputy director. We were successful in the deputy director. We were successful in the middle i deputy director. We were successful in the middle area of gaza, then the southern area next. We have teams moving Up To the northern part of the gaza strip. This is essentially by far the most difficult part of what has already been a very complex campaign, given the environment up in the north, the level of disruption, the level of displacement. Our isolation from many of the population in Northern Gaza for the past 11 months now. Teams are on the way as i speak. Vaccinations have already reached Northern Gaza, and all going well, that campaign will start in Northern Gaza tomorrow. Start in Northern Gaza tomorrow. , , start in Northern Gaza tomorrow. ,. , tomorrow. Just remind us about the impacts tomorrow. Just remind us about the impacts of tomorrow. Just remind us about the impacts of polio, tomorrow. Just remind us about the impacts of polio, if the impacts of polio, if children arent vaccinated against the disease. As we explained, it has been 25 years before this case was identified, 25 years since polio was identified in the area. ,. , polio was identified in the area. ,. Area. Yes, the consequences can be devastating. Area. Yes, the consequences can be devastating. Polio area. Yes, the consequences can be devastating. Polio doesnt be devastating. Polio doesnt kill. It ready kills, i think 5 of children that Contract Polio will die it rarely kills. It is the lifelong implications in terms of paralysis, loss of movement, in terms of Muscle Deterioration and things of that nature. Polio has re emerged in gaza as a direct result of the conditions, we believe, that people are Living In, devastation to their health, poor sewage, sanitation. The fact people are displaced and Living In squalor. It also impacts on the ability of the Health System to alleviate the conditions of those who contract the disease. There is no cure for polio, but if it is caught, conditions can be provided to alleviate some of those worse circumstances. In a situation where the Health System has been so decimated, the ability of the system to provide for the needs is severely limited. Provide for the needs is severely limited. Pope francis is in timorleste severely limited. Pope francis is in timorleste eight severely limited. Pope francis is in timorleste eight for severely limited. Pope francis is in timorleste eight for the is in Timor Leste eight for the first people busy to the catholic country since independence from indonesia into thousand two. He arrived on monday where he was welcomed by the president and other dignitaries for the start of his three Day Visit to the country. Weve got Business News and sport coming up, so do stay here on bbc news. Hello. Our weather is set to turn colder over the next few days, superbly worth getting the warmerjumpers and warmer duvets out. This cloud is a cold front, and the chilly air is behind it. That will sweep south over the next 24 hours. The weather is feeling much more autumnal over the next couple of days. To date has been cloudy this morning, but signs of the crowd broken up, for example, in cumbria. More generally across western areas. The brighter skies will push east. We have some thicker cloud to the North West, so it will tend to cloud over this afternoon in Northern Ireland and Western Scotland with a few patches of rain. Probably brightening Up To East Anglia towards the end of the afternoon. To produce the most 18 celsius. The winds are on the light side. Overnight tonight, an area of rain moving tonight, an area of rain moving to the North West. This is our cold front, starting to push South Across Scotland and Northern Ireland. With that, temperatures. To drop in scotland. Otherwise, temperatures about ten or 14 degrees. Tomorrow we have the low pressure to the north of scotland. Tightly packed, so some strong winds around. Gusts into the 60 mph in the northern isles. Probably into the 40s to the West Of Scotland and may two coastal areas of Northern Ireland. Through the day, the rain sinks southwards. Sunny spells follow with blustery showers into scotland, Northern Ireland and the North West of england and wales. Temperatures coming down in northern areas, feeling cooler. Through tuesday night, cold night, temperatures down to five celsius. You might want the warmer duvet to snuggle Up To. Wednesday, sunny spells and showers, the majority of the showers across western areas. Staying dry to north east england. Where ever you are, ten were just much lower, and below average, feeling cool in the winds. The colder air is here for the rest of the week, a mixture of sunshine and showers. Signs are tense milder into the weekend. Live from New York at the Opening Bell this is Business Today. Making a comeback, Stocks Rebound after the worst week of the year. All eyes now on apple, the worlds most valuable company are set to unveil its ai ready iphone in the next few hours. Will it persuade the world to upgrade . Also coming up, you are as Existential Crisis in Eu Report warns and big changes are needed if the block is to keep pace with the us and china in the global economic race. And google in the dock again, the us Tech Giant faces its second big Monopoly Trial of the year. This time taking aim at its dominance in advertising. Welcome to Business Today live from New York. Stocks are looking to stop a four day losing streak. The curse of the term is well known to Wall Street investors and its Infant Stock markets generally struggle but for now at least the curse has been lifted. Us shares are opening higher after last weeks steep losses driven by fears about a worsening us