Welcome to The World Today an hour of International News from the bbc. The former lawyer and fixer for donald trump who once said hed take a bullet for the fomer president , today took the stand as a Star Witness For The Prosecution in mr trumps hush money trial. Michael cohen is testifying about his role in what prosecutors say was a cover up of payments to hide an affair with the adult film star stormy daniels. Mr trump denies falsifying Business Records to reimburse his then lawyer for the payment on the eve of the 2016 president ial election, when the story could have been politically damaging. Mr cohen a former close ally turned foe of mr trump pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax offences, fraud and Campaign Finance violations. The latter charge stemmed from the same payment at the heart of the current case. Earlier i spoke to our correspondent nada tawfik who has been in new york and staying across the trial for us. I asked her about the latest on what Michael Cohen has been saying at the trial. Well, look, prosecutors are eliciting testimony that can point to the fact that everything Michael Cohen did, he says he did at the direction and benefit of donald trump. So he has detailed how he used to work as his attack dog at the Trump Organisation, often lying for him, threatening the press when they would go to publish negative stories about donald trump. And he said that donald trump was a micromanager, that he wanted to be told about everything as Michael Cohen did it. And thats really kind of to establish that donald trump was across everything. Michael cohen says that when donald trump did go to run for the presidency, he had warned Michael Cohen that women are going to come forward with stories and that he needed to be prepared to deal with that, and that ultimately, when this alleged conspiracy and cover up was hatched, that donald trump directed him to work directly with the editor of the National Enquirer and the chief Financial Officer at the Trump Organisation to ultimately pay that hush money to stormy daniels. So, again, prosecutors outlining how this was all done for donald trump with Michael Cohens testimony. And for all the latest on Michael Cohens testimony, you can visit the bbc news app or go to our website where you can read and watch developments as they happen, with live reporting from our correspondents in new york. Women suffering traumatic experiences in childbirth have prompted mps to call for a Major Overhaul of maternity and post natal care. A report led by a group of Cross Party Mps refers to harrowing evidence given by more than a thousand women of still births and life changing injuries. The Birth Trauma Inquiry said poor Maternity Care was all too frequently tolerated as normal, and women treated as an inconvenience. A warning, michael buchanans report, contains detailed descriptions of birth complications, from the very beginning. Im bleeding, getting weaker, and theyjust left me there for several hours until someone else came in to clean the room and said, you are still in here for decades, women didnt speak about birth injuries. I was being pressured to have an induction when i felt there was no medical proof to do so. The decision was made to have a c section, and at that point ijust gave my body over. I didnt trust these people, but i had to give in. Today, on bbc radio 5 live, they most certainly did. The Consultant Cut to me, | my partner and my mother the Consultant Cut me, my partner and my mother were puddling in my blood. It was all over the room, they had to shut the room completely. That women and some men came forward after a backbench mp told the commons what had happened to her. I remember the Trolley Bumping into the walls in the medical staff taking me into theatre and being slid onto the operating table. Felicity benyon was one of the 1300 people who came forward to tell of their experience. After her sons birth eight years ago, she needed an emergency hysterectomy. But the surgeon mistakenly cut out her bladder, leaving the mother of two reliant on a urostomy bag for life. I live with the trauma every day. I wont suddenly grow a new bladder. I live with the physical incapacity it has created through that. But the physical things heal and you get used to them, they become your new everyday. It is the emotional and mental things that so much longer. Among the themes the inquiry identified were a failure to listen when a woman said something was wrong, a lack of informed consent, medics are not properly explaining specific procedures and a lack of pain relief with women in acute pain being given just paracetamol. Sadly there does seem to be a maternity Postcode Lottery in this country. When i was looking for patterns, it was clear it wasnt just individual trust or certain parts of the uk, but it is a national challenge. So my headline because of the Prime Minister today is to announce a National Maternity improvement strategy. The inquiry want the government to invest in more midwives at appoint a maternity commissioner, someone directly responsible for improving care across the nhs. Ministers say they are aware of the problems. What were doing now through our Maternity Programmes is ensuring that for example the most Vulnerable Women who perhaps are living with Mental Health conditions at the moment then become pregnant, that we are building a network of support around beyond pregnancy when they have their newborn baby. The inquiry found that black and asian women appeared to experience particularly poor care, sometimes as a direct campaigners say more work is now needed. Lets speak to gemma poole. She is a midwife and ceo of the essential baby company. There have been some horrific stories today about the terrible experiences that women have had given birth, the experiences of their partners and families. As a midwife, have you seen these traumatic experiences unfold . I have and i want to traumatic experiences unfold . I have and i want to start traumatic experiences unfold . I have and i want to start by traumatic experiences unfold . I have and i want to start by saying traumatic experiences unfold . I have and i want to start by saying it traumatic experiences unfold . I have and i want to start by saying it is and i want to start by saying it is and i want to start by saying it is a long time coming, it is nothing that we have not heard before. It has just been written in black and white and it does not take take away the traumatic impact that has. Not only for the women but also for the birth and partner in the room. And it cascades over. Not only for the people in that room but for the workforce as well. So it needs to have this overview, an overview of what we are looking at in terms of what we are looking at in terms of women and their partners as well. We have seen situations when things have not gone well, has there been a Common Thread there in terms of what should have happened instead . I am not auoin should have happened instead . I am not going to should have happened instead . I am not going to say should have happened instead . I n not going to say that it is staffing issues. That is a huge problem, but that does not mean that negates anything that has happened. When as anything that has happened. When as a midwife have not got the resources or tools or the skill base to deal with what we are seeing, after the fact, so when we are supporting the women in the community, as an organisation, we are picking up the pieces from that. So it is like a Conveyor Belt of, it is notjust physical. It is that of emotional, the psychological and intellectual trauma as well. I the psychological and intellectual trauma as well. Trauma as well. I heard in a Radio Interview a trauma as well. I heard in a Radio Interview a woman trauma as well. I heard in a Radio Interview a woman who trauma as well. I heard in a Radio Interview a woman who gave trauma as well. I heard in a radio| interview a woman who gave birth trauma as well. I heard in a radio i interview a woman who gave birth in the 19705 talk about her experiences and how she was able to stay in hospital and be shown how to care for her baby and how to breast feed and so forth. There is a sense now that there is not the time and the resources perhaps to help women quite as much in that way. What do you think, if you could put your finger on what needs to change to try to ensure there are fewer and fewer of these traumatic birth experiences, what would you say that is . Indie experiences, what would you say that is . ~ , is . We definitely need better trainin is . We definitely need better training not is . We definitely need better Training Notjust is . We definitely need better training not just for is . We definitely need better| Training Notjust for midwives, is . We definitely need better Training Notjust for midwives, but for the managers and also those people who are commissioning the service as well. So they need training to understand what this actually can do to a woman and to their parentaljourney and to their partners as well. Also we are talking about getting more of midwives. But when we have got 29 out of 30 midwives leaving in the first year of qualifying, you know that there is some underlying issue. It is notjust the workforce, it is the actual system we are working in. 29 out of 30 midwives leaving in the first year, that is a startling statistic. � , first year, that is a startling statistic. , � ,. , statistic. Thats right. That is come from statistic. Thats right. That is come from the statistic. Thats right. That is come from the royal statistic. Thats right. That is come from the Royal College statistic. Thats right. That is i come from the Royal College of midwives. They did a report and that was the outcome of that report. So we need to have and hold the people that are commissioning the services, there feet to verifier. And we need to ask them and hold them accountable for what is happening to women on the ground. Hold their feet to the fire. And, for more details of organisations, Offering Advice and support on pregnancy related issues, just go online to bbc. Co. Uk actionline. One of europes most wanted People Smugglers has been arrested following a bbc investigation. Barzan majeed known as scorpion was arrested this morning in sulaymaniyah a city in northern iraq. He has been on the run for over a year and until a bbc investigation tracked him down, no one knew his location. This video shows the moment our reporter sue mitchell and aid worker and former soldier Rob Lawrie Sat down with the scorpion in a mall. My colleague Matthew Amroliwala spoke to sue mitchell, the bbc reporter who tracked him down, earlier today the iraqi authorities immediately got in touch with us and said whatever evidence we can provide with them, weve had communication with them, weve had communication with them, weve had communication with them and the National Crime agency in britain, and this morning at seven and they sent Police Forces out to arrest him in the north of iraq. As faras out to arrest him in the north of iraq. As far as we know he is now being held in detention and there is great interest of Police Forces across britain and in belgium to find out what terms for extradition there might be. That find out what terms for extradition there might be. There might be. That is such a development, there might be. That is such a development, because there might be. That is such a development, because of there might be. That is such a development, because of course, Police Forces have been searching for that man and it took your investigation just to find him, just remind our viewers watching perhaps they missed your piece last week, when you tracked him down what did he say to you . It when you tracked him down what did he say to you . He say to you . It was amazing to find him, really. He say to you . It was amazing to find him, really. The he say to you . It was amazing to find him, really. The search he say to you . It was amazing to find him, really. The search had| find him, really. The search had taken us through europe, into turkey and onto a rock. When we finally cooked it confronted him with his crimes, he admitted smuggling 10,000 or more people into britain, he said he couldnt remember how many. He was very blase about the dangers and risks on his crossing. Still to come on The World Today. Well be live in the Georgian Capital Tiblisi where theres been violence during protests over a proposed new law which opponents say is pro russian. And more challenges for the uk governments rwanda plan according to belfast that part of the policy should not apply in Northern Ireland. Around the world and across the uk. This is The World Today on bbc news. Theres been violence outside georgias parliament during protests against a controversial new law which will be voted on tomorrow. Videos like these have surfaced on social media. They show riot police apparently beating demonstrators who came out in force after an all night rally, condemning the foreign agents bill. That legislation requires organisations receiving more than 20 of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence or else face fines. Western countries and georgias opposition have denounced it as authoritarian, and a close copy of russias foreign agents law. You can see the Parliament Square absolutely packed with demonstrators. Last year, a plan to introduce this bill was dropped at the last minute after a wave of protests, but this time, the ruling party, georgian dream, says it will go ahead, that this law will be brought in tomorrow in a vote. At the protests continue. Georgias opposition have denounced the law is authoritarian and a close copy of the Russian Foreign agents law. But the countrys Prime Minister promised on sunday to push ahead with the law and on Monday Morning lawmakers rushed it through a committee vote, approving it in 67 seconds. The final voting on the proposed legislation is scheduled for tuesday. The European Commission opposes the bill. Georgia was given eu candidate status last year and opponents of the bill say it could cost georgia eu membership. Well keep a close watch on the scene there in tub leasee for you. Tablisi. Rishi sunak has said the next election would provide voters with a choice between the conservatives optimistic view of the future and labours doomsterism. In his first speech since the tories suffered heavy losses in the local elections, he said the uk was facing some of its most dangerous years ever with threats including china, russia and global immigration. Labour said the tories had left the uk less secure at home and abroad. Heres chris mason the pace is quickening. The election is almost certainly still months away, but the two candidates vying to live here in Downing Street next year and beyond are limbering up. Announcements, news conferences, bashing their opponent. First up this week, rishi sunak. I feel a profound sense of urgency, because more will change in the next five years than in the last 30. Im convinced that the next few years will be some of the most dangerous, yet the most transformational that our country has ever known. The Prime Minister, Nursing A Cold as he turned 44 this weekend, hes the best part of 20 years younger than keir starmer, is trying to argue he is a more credible face of the future and has a plan to keep us safe. Weve proudly taken the generational decision to increase Defence Spending to a new baseline of 2. 5 of gdp by 2030, yet labour have refused to match our pledge. Either you believe the world is more dangerous, or you dont. Lets cut to the quick here, Prime Minister. Are you saying the country would be less safe under keir starmer, and in summary, is this the beginning of an argument from you that says be careful what you wish for, Better The Devil You Know . In a word, yes, chris. Laughter. What the country needs what the country wants, what the country deserves is to know there is a secure future for them and their families ahead. That is the choice at the next election. Surrounded by a busload of labour mayors, the man who hopes to replace him was in wolverhampton today. Keir starmer keeping the company of winners he longs to be one himself, soon enough. The most Important Mission bar none is economic growth. The key choice. A changed labour party that will raise Living Standards for everyone, everywhere. That is our ambition. Or more chaos and decline under the tories. And as for that claim that labour would jeopardise our national security. No, we would not be less safe under a labour government. This government talks about national security, but what is its record . Its hollowed out our armed forces, its wasted billions of pounds on procurement, and doesnt have a credible plan for the future. Therell be plenty more days like this before we find out if another photo needs to be added to this wall of Prime Ministers. Lets speak to our Political Correspondent helen catt who is joining us from westminster. So, helen, people will have had a chance to digest what has been said by rishi sunak and indeed by keir starmer, whats the verdict . Rishi sunak has a starmer, whats the verdict . Rishi sunak has a challenge starmer, whats the verdict . I si sunak has a challenge here, and starmer, whats the verdict . I s5i sunak has a challenge here, and he knows it, doesnt take . Hes looking notjust knows it, doesnt take . Hes looking not just at the polls, knows it, doesnt take . Hes looking notjust at the polls, but knows it, doesnt take . Hes looking not just at the polls, but also when your party has been in government for 11; years, how do you convince people to give you another go to suggest that things are going to approve . We got a bit of a sense of that this morning from rishi sunak� s speech. There are things hes going to be pitching to would be voters ahead of that election, that here he is as painting the future is optimistic and suggesting that a change of party as it isnt going to alter the issues and problems and challenges that people feel they have at the moment. 0n challenges that people feel they have at the moment. On top of that he wants to paint� s or keir starmer as the alternative, as a potential threat. So he saw him outline that today, and what we saw was interesting that he did defend the government, some of the things the government, some of the things the government has done over the last 11; years. To celebrate some of the things he thought were achievements. It was quite different than last years conservative party conference, when he was depicting himself as a sort of agent of change. Thats where he is picturing himself, we have seen keir starmer today saying that, you know, his priority is national security, he is taking steps in recent weeks to reinforce that, recommitting to the Nuclear Deterrent for example, if you weeks ago talking about the importance of growing the economy and looking at what is happening, and looking at what is happening, and all of this empty mission and ambition might be great, but labour is focusing on the moment and how people are currently feeling. This having been the seventh reset for rishi sunak in 18 months. What weve got today is a real flavour what were going to see from the two parties as we move closer to that election. ~ parties as we move closer to that election. , ~ ,. ,. Election. Thank you very much, helen. Lets stay with uk politics for a moment as the governments controversial scheme for sending Asylum Seekers to rwanda has hit a legal obstacle following a judgement in Northern Ireland. A judge there has ruled that parts of the legislation do not apply because they breach Human Rights Protections guaranteed under post brexit arrangements. As it stands, the decision means Asylum Seekers living in Northern Ireland cannot be sent to rwanda. Our home editor mark easton has more. There are lawyers who were involved in this case who reckon this is thrown a spanner into the works of the governments whole rwanda plan. Let me take you through it. So this case principally, its about a 16 year old iranian boy who came over in a small boat injuly last year, now lives in Northern Ireland. And he told the court that he was that if he was sent back to iran, and he told the court that he was. That if he was sent back to iran, he would be he could be killed or imprisoned and it would be a breach of his human rights. Now, the argument of the case, exactly as you say, was that the rules which apply within the illegal migration act, which underpins the governments whole rwanda policy, dont apply. Not all of them apply in Northern Ireland because as you say, the Windsor Framework, that deal, which rishi soon that deal, which rishi sunak proclaimed as a decisive breakthrough in dealing with the sort of post brexit problems of eu law and the Good Friday Agreement, which includes eu law within its text, that that Windsor Framework means that some of those Human Rights Obligations still apply in Northern Ireland. I think that is going to be the real concern for the government that essentially if you can make it to belfast as things stand, you cannot be put on a plane to rwanda. However, there is almost certainly going to be an appeal. The Prime Minister and this i think the very fact that hes decided to come out and sort of respond personally to this judgment tells us, i think, why hes taking it so seriously. And what he says is that he is not, he is not going to allow this ruling to prevent him from, as he put it, start the flights to stop the boats. He argues that the Good Friday Agreement is being expanded beyond its remit into covering issues like what he calls illegal migration, and therefore it shouldnt apply. Joining now is jonathan joining now isjonathan reynolds, Shadow Business and trade secretary. Thank you so much for your time today. I want to ask you about this decision about the court in belfast. Victoria atkins say she doesnt believe that the Good Friday Agreement has the impacts on the Governments Rwanda Policy as a whole, whats your view of . Hews Governments Rwanda Policy as a whole, whats your view of . News is ust whole, whats your view of . News is just breaking. Whole, whats your view of . News is just breaking, but whole, whats your view of . News is just breaking, but surely whole, whats your view of . News is just breaking, but surely it whole, whats your view of . News is just breaking, but surely it would. Just breaking, but surely it would be the government 5 Windsor Framework which determines the relationship to how the courts have looked at this. Windsor agreement is one of the few achievements, i would say, of the government in recent years. So if they are in a position where they are having to consider rwanda, which is a gimmicky policy, not a true attempt to solve the problem. The Windsor Agreement is essential. Not having artificial, and if necessary borders in any part of the British Isles it seems pretty straightforward to me. But as the news is breaking, im struggling to be understanding the conservative party 5 response if they think its specifically about the Good Friday Agreement. Specifically about the Good Friday Agreement specifically about the good friday aareement. �. ,. , , agreement. Before the story broke today about agreement. Before the story broke today about rishi agreement. Before the story broke today about rishi sunaks agreement. Before the story broke today about rishi sunaks speech i today about rishi sunaks speech earlier, he talked about dangerous times ahead, he said that keir starmer, the uk under keir starmer would not be as safe. Would not be as safe. Whats your reaction to would not be as safe. Whats your reaction to that . Would not be as safe. Whats your reaction to that . Its would not be as safe. Whats your reaction to that . Its another would not be as safe. Whats your| reaction to that . Its another rishi sunak reset speech, they come around faster and faster these days, but specifically on the issue of security i would simply say the conservative party will be judged on its own record. Look at how theyve reduced expenditure on defence, reduced expenditure on defence, reduce the size of the british army, and if the Prime Ministers message today was about facing the future, i can think of any british politician less willing to face the future and call the General Election which we know is required and is coming down the Prime Minister himself. Does labour have the Prime Minister himself. Does labour have the the Prime Minister himself. Does labour have the same the Prime Minister himself. Does labour have the same plans, same ambition to spend at the levels the conservative party is talking about spending on defence by 2030 . Yes. Conservative party is talking about spending on defence by 2030 . Yes, we have that same spending on defence by 2030 . Yes, we have that same commitment. Spending on defence by 2030 . Yes, we have that same commitment. We spending on defence by 2030 . Yes, we have that same commitment. We do i have that same commitment. We do not believe weve seen from the government a credible plan to get there. If they came forward with that plan of course we would look at that, that would be a serious conversation to have. But simply suggesting you can suck some Civil Servants and get that level of expenditure, im afraid no. The claims we get about spending more money on the nhs for the Education System or on the criminaljustice system, we would love to be able to do that and give a timescale for that but weve got to get the economy growing faster before weve even got a realistic chance of doing that. We even got a realistic chance of doing that. ~. ,. ,. , that. We feel. C are not going to rive a that. We feel. C are not going to give a timescale that. We feel. C are not going to give a timescale in that. We feel. C are not going to give a timescale in advance that. We feel. C are not going to give a timescale in advance of that. We feel. C are not going to give a timescale in advance of a i give a timescale in advance of a General Election, is that we are saying . General election, is that we are sa inc . ~ General Election, is that we are sa in . ,. , saying . We will probably have at least one more saying . We will probably have at least one more budget, saying . We will probably have at least one more budget, if saying . We will probably have at least one more budget, if we saying . We will probably have at l least one more budget, if we think the General Election is going to have later then we would have it be, we would have a chance to respond to that. But its a very very high significant priority for us. But we cannot match plans if we dont believe those plans are credible. Business and trade sec. , thank you so much for your time today. Do stay with us here on bbc news, much more to come on The World Today. Hello there. Weve seen a real mixture of weather across the country today, across parts of northern and Eastern Scotland and down the eastern side of england, there has been some warm spells of sunshine. Ive seen temperatures go to 23 degrees in a few spots, but its a different story further southwards and westwards, with outbreaks of rain for Northern Ireland, wales and south west england. The rain has all been tied in with this curl of cloud, which is an area of low pressure. These Weather Fronts have been particularly slow moving, so its been raining for most of the day for these areas and the front will continue to be slow moving as we go through the night. Eventually, the rain crawls its way across the midlands into eastern england, gets into more of scotland through the night. But it should start to ease off across parts of wales, and the south west of england, although there could be a few showers here. Temperatures overnight for most around 11 to 11; degrees. So we are looking at a mild night and a mild start to tuesday. This time, though, the rain will be pushing its way in across scotland and eastern areas of england. So thats where some of the wettest weathers going to be. A bit brighterfor Northern Ireland, wales and south west england, but not dry. It will be a day of sunshine and showers for these areas and some of the showers through the afternoon could turn out to be quite heavy with an odd rumble of thunder. For many areas, temperatures reached the upper teens. It is a bit above average for this time of year and where the sunshine comes out, it wont feel too bad. For the middle part of the week, wednesday weve still got our low pressure still in the same kind of area, still a day of sunshine and showers for many of these southern and western areas, although we could have some more persistent outbreaks of rain for eastern england. The driest, warmest weather, its likely to be across Northern Scotland where the warm spots could get up to around 22 or 23 degrees celsius or so. 0therwise, high teens to low twenties. Again, not feeling bad where the sunshine bothers to put in an appearance. Thursday, low pressure is still with us. This time we could have some lengthier heavy outbreaks of rain moving into central and eastern parts of england. But again, the driest weather is likely to be across Northern Scotland, where locally could see temperatures of around 22 or so. 0therwise, generally our temperatures into the high teens. Through friday and indeed the weekend start of next week, its the north of the country that will have the driest and some of the warmest weather as well. With some pockets might we see temperatures into the twenties across Northern Scotland for england and wales though, different story generally its going to be quite unsettled with plenty of showers around
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