this is bbc news. we can listen to the us defence secretary in ram steyne in germany. they are reaffirming their support to ukraine. . . , ., ,

to ukraine. france, germany, iceland, italy, _ to ukraine. france, germany, iceland, italy, latvia, - to ukraine. france, germany,| iceland, italy, latvia, lithuania luxembourg, the netherlands, norway, poland, and the united kingdom, they have all stepped up to leave the capability coalition and to commit resources and personnel to this critical task —— stepped up to lead. this is a testimony to the resolve and unity at ramstein today and we stand by ukraine because it is the right thing to do. and because america cares when freedom is at risk. but we also stand by ukraine because it is crucial to our own security and the us would face grave new perils in a world where aggression and autocracy are on the march and where tyrants are emboldened and where dictators think they can wipe out democracy off the map. so when we invest in the

security of ukraine, we invest in our own security. and we strengthen this shared vision of an open world of rules and rights and responsibilities. today, ukraine's survival is in danger and america's security is at risk and they do not have a data waste and we don't have a day to spare. —— a day to waste. i'm determined to keep us security and assistance flowing and that is a matter of sovereignty for ukraine and a matter of honour and security for america. and a matter of honour and security foramerica. make and a matter of honour and security for america. make no mistake, vladimir putin is watching. the world is watching. and history is watching. and with that, general brown, the floor is yours. goad brown, the floor is yours. good afternoon. _ brown, the floor is yours. good

afternoon, everyone. _ brown, the floor is yours. good afternoon, everyone. two - brown, the floor is yours. good afternoon, everyone. two days| brown, the floor is yours. good afternoon, everyone. two days after the start _ afternoon, everyone. two days after the start of— afternoon, everyone. two days after the start of the second world war president — the start of the second world war president roosevelt said in a fireside — president roosevelt said in a fireside chat, the piece has been broken — fireside chat, the piece has been broken... ,, , fireside chat, the piece has been broken... ., , �* , broken... studio: lloyd austin, the us secretary — broken... studio: lloyd austin, the us secretary of _ broken... studio: lloyd austin, the us secretary of defence _ broken... studio: lloyd austin, the us secretary of defence there, - broken... studio: lloyd austin, the us secretary of defence there, with | us secretary of defence there, with a warning to russia, reaffirming american support for ukraine following the russian invasion and he said vladimir putin is watching and the world is watching, history is watching. we will have more on that story as and when we get it. washington is hoping its transitional council will be confirmed in haiti which is opposed by the gangs which control large parts of the country. we can speak to matt knight. thanks forjoining us. we have been watching the crisis in haiti unfold, so you are in the country, what is it like where you

are? it country, what is it like where you are? . . , country, what is it like where you are? ,, ,~, country, what is it like where you are? ,, �* are? it is pretty scary. i'm currently _ are? it is pretty scary. i'm currently in _ are? it is pretty scary. i'm currently in lockdown - are? it is pretty scary. i'm currently in lockdown in i are? it is pretty scary. i'm. currently in lockdown in our compound and i'm not allowed out. we opened the office yesterday but we were aware that there was a shooting incident relatively close to the area where the office and the compound is so staff safety is a priority for us and we had to close the office and make sure that the staff could get home safely. it is a constant daily occurrence that we can hear shooting and it is disrupting our services and our office opening hours and disrupting the lives of everybody so it is pretty scary. taste the lives of everybody so it is pretty scary-— the lives of everybody so it is re sca .~ ., pretty scary. we hope you remain safe and that _ pretty scary. we hope you remain safe and that staff _ pretty scary. we hope you remain safe and that staff do _ pretty scary. we hope you remain safe and that staff do as - pretty scary. we hope you remain safe and that staff do as well. - safe and that staff do as well. really uncertain time for you. we are hearing from the us of a transitional council being set up to try and restore order but it is not

something the gangs will get behind from what we hear. what is your take? . . from what we hear. what is your take? ., , . ., , from what we hear. what is your take? ., ,. ., , , take? that is certainly my understanding. _ take? that is certainly my understanding. the - take? that is certainly my understanding. the rule l take? that is certainly my| understanding. the rule is take? that is certainly my - understanding. the rule is that the transitional council have put in place, the membership of the transitional council, it is so stringent that it rules out anybody who is connected to the gangs in any way and therefore the gangs feel like they do not have a voice in whatever comes next. as long as they don't feel like they have a voice in whatever comes next, they feel like they can continue targeting the institutions, legitimately, so things like police stations, the airport, the port, police academies, the presidential palace, all of these have been targeted recently, judges lodgings have been targeted and they will carry on targeting those as long as they feel like they do not have a legitimate voice to whatever comes next.—

do not have a legitimate voice to whatever comes next. briefly, all of this happening _ whatever comes next. briefly, all of this happening while _ whatever comes next. briefly, all of this happening while people - whatever comes next. briefly, all of this happening while people are - this happening while people are struggling to get basic food, so what about the work your organisation is doing to help people? organisation is doing to help --eole? ., ., . . . , people? under normal circumstances we rovide people? under normal circumstances we provide food _ people? under normal circumstances we provide food aid _ people? under normal circumstances we provide food aid and _ people? under normal circumstances we provide food aid and clean - people? under normal circumstances we provide food aid and clean water, | we provide food aid and clean water, sanitation, hygiene kits and protection services some of the most vulnerable people in society, especially young women and children, but at present we are not able to get into the areas we would like. yesterday i was able to get some of my team to start doing food distributions but today unfortunately there are armed groups in the areas and we have had to call that of four staff safety reasons. matt knight, joining us live from haiti, i hope you and your staff remain safe, thanks forjoining us.

more than hundred thousand people died in an overdose in america last year. more than 100,000 people died in america last year of an overdose, most of which were from synthetic opioids, like fentanyl. up to 50 times stronger than heroin, it's relatively easy to overdose when using it. 0ur correspondent in san francisco, james clayton has been speaking to a former addict, about how addiction took over his life. brian was homeless on the streets of san francsco for three years, between 2020 and 2023. there's someone actually doing fentanyl right there. oh, yeah, that's... you're going to see that. like, people don't give a this is his account of what life is like homeless and addicted to fentanyl. for, like, a year, i didn't go to sleep on purpose. i fell... where i fell is where i slept. and i always wondered, like, how do you...? why don't you go and get undercover or something? and it's because you're just exhausted. you're like... just sheer exhaustion and you lay where you fall, you know? so, yeah, i've been there. i've been there plenty of times. it's an all encompassing desire, like, it's a 2k hour a dayjob.

all you're doing is acquiring money to make sure you still have dope. because even when you run out, like, obviously withdrawals are looming. like, they're going to... they're going to come in a matter of hours. to keep up his habit, brian regularly stole items from stores and sold them on the streets for his next fix, which he knew could be his last. there was one time we were sitting on a ledge smoking dope, like, me and a few guys near the drug dealer's spot. and there was a guy, like, laying down on the ground, kind of watching him, but he wasn't moving, but people laying on the ground, sleeping all over the place in that area, you know? and then somebody went over to him and he was dead. and that's just regular tuesday morning or whatever. in 2022, brian's feet were starting to get more and more swollen, a common problem forfentanyl users. he walked with a limp. i had cellulitis, like, which is a cellular infection in my legs due to, like, poor circulation.

on our walk, we run into an old friend whose heavily bandaged legs are dripping wet, likely from a similar infection. is he, like, 0k? it's, like, wet. oh, yeah. i don't know what that's... yeah, see, that's... - that's what happens. it's, like, weeping wounds. you got to change the dressing all the time. you already know, like, it's... it sucks. last year, brian's legs became septic. i was, like, laying in the station, unresponsive, apparently, like in the chair. and somebody checked on me. it was, like, real hit or miss. like, they thought i was going to die a few times. brian did survive, though, and says the experience changed him. he's been clean for nearly a year now. you definitely regain or even grow a greater appreciation for little, like, small pleasures, like the sound of skateboard wheels on the concrete, rather thanjust, like, i couldn't enjoy anything if it wasn't, like... fentanyl was the first concern.

brian could consider himself lucky. during the period that he was on the streets from november 2020 to april 2023, 1683 people died in san francisco due to a drug overdose, most of them from synthetic opioids like fentanyl. let's speak to chris mcgreal, author of american 0verdose: the 0pioid tragedy in three acts. you have looked into the crisis through your reporting and your book. i lived in america in 2015, when this was in the headlines daily commit real concerns across the country, and it was an election issue back then, but it doesn't seem like much has changed. has much changed? if anything it has got worse, and this opioid crisis has one on worse, and this opioid crisis has gone on for _ worse, and this opioid crisis us gone on for more than worse, and this opioid crisis t5;

gone on for more than 20 years now, beginning with prescription opioids, but as you heard, evolving into something in many ways much worse which is these high—strength artificial opioids, synthetic opioids which are much more likely to kill you. is opioids which are much more likely to kill ou. . opioids which are much more likely to kill ou. , ., , .,, to kill you. is there a problem with overprescribing _ to kill you. is there a problem with overprescribing as _ to kill you. is there a problem with overprescribing as well? _ to kill you. is there a problem with overprescribing as well? yes, - to kill you. is there a problem with| overprescribing as well? yes, there is. overprescribing as well? yes, there is- america — overprescribing as well? yes, there is. america continues _ overprescribing as well? yes, there is. america continues to _ overprescribing as well? yes, there is. america continues to prescribe i is. america continues to prescribe at much higher rates than most of the world but prescription opioids are no longer the primary cause of overdose deaths, although they still account for around 25%, still a very high number, in its own right, but the big killer now is fence and all, notjust people who are directly using it but most people do not know they are using it and they are killed by fenta nyl they are using it and they are killed by fentanyl in other drugs

like amphetamines, and it is so powerful that people who do not have sufficient tolerance or do not understand how much the drug is in there, can easily overdose. what understand how much the drug is in there, can easily overdose.- there, can easily overdose. what is there, can easily overdose. what is the solution? _ there, can easily overdose. what is the solution? that _ there, can easily overdose. what is the solution? that is _ there, can easily overdose. what is the solution? that is a _ there, can easily overdose. what is the solution? that is a good - the solution? that is a good question — the solution? that is a good question and _ the solution? that is a good question and a _ the solution? that is a good question and a lot _ the solution? that is a good question and a lot of - the solution? that is a good question and a lot of people the solution? that is a good - question and a lot of people have tried to work out and still the problem gets worse. cutting off the prescribing has helped diminish the number of people who have become addicted through prescription painkillers but i think the general consensus is that there needs to be a lot of assistance for people who become addicted, there needs to be proper treatment and programmes that help people rather than sending them to prison, and in the end, it is education as much as anything. chris, thanks forjoining us.

around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

now how many of you remembers this smash hit from the late 90s? # i get knocked down and i get up again...# it's a bit of an ear worm, but that is of course tubthumping by chumbawumba — the british punk band are in the spotlight again having demanded that the right—wing new zealand politician winston peters stop using their biggest hit at his rallies.

they said tubthumping was a song of hope for ordinary people, not for politicians with what they called bigoted views. they've told their record company to issue a legal notice. mr peter says there is nothimng wromng with his party using it because it is not for commercial gain. with me is the former singer of chumbawumba. welcome to bbc news. why do you have a problem with mr peters who is actually the deputy prime minister, using the song? he’s prime minister, using the song? he's not the prime minister, using the song? he's rrot the first — prime minister, using the song? he's not the first deputy _ prime minister, using the song? he�*s not the first deputy prime minister that we have had something to say about. . that we have had something to say about. , g ., ,_, ., ., about. yes, john prescott, although we do not about. yes, john prescott, although we do rrot have _ about. yes, john prescott, although we do not have the _ about. yes, john prescott, although we do not have the images - about. yes, john prescott, although we do not have the images of- about. yes, john prescott, although we do not have the images of your i we do not have the images of your band throwing a bucket of ice over him in 2011. what about winston peters? he him in 2011. what about winston peters? . . . him in 2011. what about winston peters? ., , , ., ., him in 2011. what about winston peters? , ., ., ., peters? he has views that are at odds to everything _ peters? he has views that are at odds to everything that - peters? he has views that are at - odds to everything that chumbawumba stands for, he is anti immigration,

the rhetoric from him is egregious, and a lot of what he stands for in the way that he pushes his populist views which i think have a right wing element to them, and only because hatred and division within communities —— only cause. that song is about different communities coming together in a pub in leeds, so everything he stands for is against that song. what about the freedom to use your music? some eo - le freedom to use your music? some people might _ freedom to use your music? some people might say _ freedom to use your music? some people might say it _ freedom to use your music? some people might say it is _ freedom to use your music? some people might say it is flattering, i people might say it is flattering, someone is using the music, even if you don't agree with it. what you don't agree with it. what happened — you don't agree with it. what happened with _ you don't agree with it. what happened with the _ you don't agree with it. what happened with the song, - you don't agree with it. wrist happened with the song, because of the nature of the song, the message is a universal message, people don't realise the history and what the band are trying to say with the song. and so it gets taken over by

people who we would rather not use it or use it to promote their ideas and ideologies. it is not the first time this has happened. irate and ideologies. it is not the first time this has happened. we have talked about _ time this has happened. we have talked about donald _ time this has happened. we have talked about donald trump - time this has happened. we have talked about donald trump and i | talked about donald trump and i remember going to his rallies in the states in 2016 and you would hear the rolling stones and bruce springsteen, and adele, artists who did not want him playing their music at his rallies.— at his rallies. nigel farage used it at his rallies. nigel farage used it a few years _ at his rallies. nigel farage used it a few years ago. _ at his rallies. nigel farage used it a few years ago, which _ at his rallies. nigel farage used it a few years ago, which was - at his rallies. nigel farage used it a few years ago, which was an - a few years ago, which was an appalling use of the song, which again we sent out a cease and desist letter. in again we sent out a cease and desist letter. . again we sent out a cease and desist letter. , ., ., , letter. in terms of the other side of it, letter. in terms of the other side of it. what _ letter. in terms of the other side of it, what will— letter. in terms of the other side of it, what will a _ letter. in terms of the other side of it, what will a cease _ letter. in terms of the other side of it, what will a cease and - letter. in terms of the other side | of it, what will a cease and desist do, do they have to stop using it? to be honest, it is the fact that we want to publicise the idea that we

completely disagree with his ideology and viewpoint and we do not agree with him using the song. it is as much to publicise the idea that we stand against what he stands for and we do not want him to promote his politics with our song. it is his politics with our song. it is aood his politics with our song. it is good publicity _ his politics with our song. it is good publicity for _ his politics with our song. it is good publicity for your song and i'm sure a lot of people will go to listen on spotify.— sure a lot of people will go to listen on spotify. yes, but you get aid ve listen on spotify. yes, but you get paid very little _ listen on spotify. yes, but you get paid very little from _ listen on spotify. yes, but you get paid very little from spotify - listen on spotify. yes, but you get paid very little from spotify plays. | paid very little from spotify plays. you say politics and music should be mixed, but only if it suits your agenda? if mixed, but only if it suits your arenda? . . . . mixed, but only if it suits your arenda? , ., , . ., mixed, but only if it suits your arenda? , . ., ., ., agenda? if it is a piece of art that we have created _ agenda? if it is a piece of art that we have created ourselves, - agenda? if it is a piece of art that we have created ourselves, i - agenda? if it is a piece of art that we have created ourselves, i feelj we have created ourselves, i feel that we should have a say over how that we should have a say over how thatis that we should have a say over how that is used and who uses it because it is our art and something we have created as a band. it is when it gets misused, then i think it is within our remit to try and do something about it.— within our remit to try and do something about it. once you sent the letter. —

something about it. once you sent the letter, what _ something about it. once you sent the letter, what happens? - something about it. once you sent the letter, what happens? does i something about it. once you sent| the letter, what happens? does he have to stop using it? if the letter, what happens? does he have to stop using it?— have to stop using it? if the rocess have to stop using it? if the process goes _ have to stop using it? if the process goes on, _ have to stop using it? if the process goes on, we - have to stop using it? if the process goes on, we have l have to stop using it? if the | process goes on, we have to have to stop using it? if the - process goes on, we have to sue him for using it in the process just goes on. for using it in the process 'ust toes on. r y ., for using it in the process 'ust toes on. r ,, , for using it in the process 'ust toes on. . , ., for using it in the process 'ust toeson. . , ., for using it in the process 'ust toeson. �* , ., no. goes on. are you still a band? no. we are still— goes on. are you still a band? no. we are still a _ goes on. are you still a band? no. we are still a collective _ goes on. are you still a band? no. we are still a collective of - goes on. are you still a band? no. we are still a collective of people. we are still a collective of people that work together but we are not a band. i’m that work together but we are not a band. �* . that work together but we are not a band. �* , , ., ., . band. i'm sure everyone watching the interview will— band. i'm sure everyone watching the interview will be _ band. i'm sure everyone watching the interview will be singing _ interview will be singing tubthumping, including myself, while i carry on with the news. thanks for joining us and for explaining why you have issued the cease and desist letter to the deputy prime minister of new zealand. you are watching bbc news. legislation to impose the first independent regulator on men's football in england is being introduced in parliament today. it follows a number of controversies at the top level of the sport, including the failure by premier league clubs to agree an improved financial package for the rest of the game. 0ur reporter rachel mcadam has more. the football governance bill will be introduced to parliament today after a fan—led review into the men's game. now, the review came

after a number of high—profile crises in the sport, like the failed european super league and a number of cases of financial mismanagement. but what will the bill actually do? well, the government says that an independent regulator will be established, and that will give fans a bigger voice and a bigger say as to how their clubs are run. and that regulator will also promote financial sustainability, and it will have the power to fine clubs up to 10% of their turnover if they're not compliant. breakaway closed—shop competitions like the european super league could be blocked under the new legislation, and there'll be stronger tests for new owners and directors of clubs to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. now, rishi sunak, the prime minister, has described it as a historic

moment for fans and he said that he'll put their voices front and centre. but the premier league has previously argued against a regulator, saying that it wasn't necessary. and today the premier league says they remain concerned about any unintended consequences of the legislation that could affect the competitiveness and appeal of english football. let's speak to niall couper — afc wimbledon fan and ceo of campiagn group fair gam, a coalition of football of campiagn group fair game, a coalition of football clubs and individuals seeking to improve the governance of football in england and wales. what is your take on the proposal? generally we welcome the bill and we welcome the document, although it is 130 pages and we have onlyjust seen it, and there are issues in there, and the number one priority of the regulator is to make sure the financial sustainability of football and let's put this into context, since the start of the premier league 64 clubs have gone into administration and over half the clubs in the top four divisions are technically insolvent and it is routine for clubs to spend more than

they earn on players wages so there is a lot wrong with football. what we are looking at, the major concern, is how we look at the financial viability of football, the number one thing that the regulator needs to address, and at the moment it looks like this could potentially be falling short. what it says is the financial flow can only be decided by the premier league and the efl and the independent regulator will have no oversight how the money actually could be distributed and that is fundamental when it comes to clubs at the lower end of the pyramid, trying to rectify the problem in football which has led to such financial mismanagement if you want that has happened and is so common throughout football in england. you happened and is so common throughout football in england.— football in england. you think the reuulator football in england. you think the regulator could _ football in england. you think the regulator could end _ football in england. you think the regulator could end up _ football in england. you think the regulator could end up being - regulator could end up being toothless? fist regulator could end up being toothless?— regulator could end up being toothless? �* ., regulator could end up being toothless? . ., ., , toothless? at the moment, if it does not have toothless? at the moment, if it does rrot have the — toothless? at the moment, if it does not have the ability _ toothless? at the moment, if it does not have the ability to _ toothless? at the moment, if it does

not have the ability to oversee - not have the ability to oversee financial flow, not have the ability to oversee financialflow, it could be toothless right from the start, so that has to be the fundamental thing it has control over. without it, we will continue to see the issues we have seen at the likes of macclesfield, and other lower league clubs, and that is when you see clubs, and that is when you see clubs going into distress and sometimes out of business and if we want a healthy football ecosystem in this country, that is where we need to be looking and that is for the benefit of the whole national game. the premier league can talk about the detrimental part but actually investing in the pyramid is one of the healthiest ways to grow the game nicely and make it a much stronger product, and it is at the moment. rishi sunak says this regulator and this bill is a historic moment for football fans, so do you agree with that in any way? it is football fans, so do you agree with that in any way?— football fans, so do you agree with that in any way? it is important and it is a really — that in any way? it is important and it is a really good _ that in any way? it is important and it is a really good step _ that in any way? it is important and it is a really good step and - that in any way? it is important and it is a really good step and we - it is a really good step and we welcome quite a lot of the proposals

but without adequate consideration of the financial flow, at the moment we think it will fall short and we need to see that tightened up and we hope that in the weeks ahead as it makes its way through parliament, that politicians and the fans and the clubs and the communities they operate within, but pressures on politicians to make sure we get a bill that is fit for purpose and at the moment it might not be. so what is the way forward _ the moment it might not be. so what is the way forward in _ the moment it might not be. so what is the way forward in what _ the moment it might not be. so what is the way forward in what happens . is the way forward in what happens next? do you think it will become law? in next? do you think it will become law? ,., next? do you think it will become law? , ., ., , law? in some form it definitely will and the way _ law? in some form it definitely will and the way it _ law? in some form it definitely will and the way it happens _ law? in some form it definitely will and the way it happens now - law? in some form it definitely will and the way it happens now is - law? in some form it definitely will and the way it happens now is that| and the way it happens now is that it will go to a second reading stage where we will see it being debated in the house of commons and it will go to bill committee where they will not line by line to see where improvements could be made —— where they will look line by line. then it will go to the house of lords and they were put down some other changes and hopefully by the time it comes back to the house of commons at third reading, it is in a state

which is fit for purpose and can deliver a good future for football which will fans and communities want, that's the process and we think that can be achieved by the time of the next general election. nial cooper, afc wimbledon supporter, thanks forjoining us. that is it for this hour. stay with us here on bbc news. hello again. for most of you, the weather is cheering up quite nicely and the afternoon promises some decent spells of sunshine. so far, some of the best breaks in the cloud have been across wales with these sunny skies spotted earlier in north—west wales. but it's not the only place that's seeing sunshine today. northern ireland, scotland, northern england also seeing increasingly sunny skies. it's across east anglia and south—east england where we'll probably keep a lot of cloud. it's a mild day, 13 degrees for belfast and aberdeen, 15 or 16 in the mildest spots in england and wales. one or two isolated showers knocking around, yes,

but for many of you, it stays dry. that's not the case, though, overnight, because low pressure's set to move in. and with that, we're going to see some fairly persistent outbreaks of rain pushing in, particularly to northern ireland, wales and northern england. a mild night, though, with temperatures 9 or 10c for england and wales. 0n into tomorrow, the wettest weather, starting off the day in northern ireland will swing eastwards. so wales and northern england, probably having rain for most of the day. might well start off dry across south—east england. but i wouldn't rule out a bit of rain arriving here through the afternoon. mild across the south—east, brightening up for scotland and northern ireland. but here it will be a cooler kind of day with temperatures around 8—11c. and that cool slice of weather won't last long. heading into thursday, we'll get some milder air pushing in off the atlantic behind this warm front, and so temperatures

will be climbing. however, it is going to work out being quite a wet and windy day, particularly in scotland, where across northern areas we'll get gusts of wind running into the 50s of miles an hour. rain likely to be quite persistent for western scotland for much of the day, sinking southwards to give some wet weather into northern ireland through the afternoon. relatively mild, though. 14 in belfast, highs reaching 16 degrees towards the south—east of england. all change again through friday. a cold front sweeps its way southwards, introducing much cooler air. with that, there'll be a band of rain pushing southwards across england and wales. the skies then brighten up with sunshine, but there'll be lots of showers across the north—west of the uk. some of those are likely to be heavy with some hail and thunder mixed in and temperatures are coming down. we're looking at highs typically between 9 and 12c, so close to average for the time of year. it stays showery into the weekend with some quite chilly winds around and it will be cold enough for a little bit of snow over the tops of the scottish mountains.

live from london, this is bbc news. the us secretary of state antony blinken warns the entire population of gaza is suffering severe levels of acute food insecurity. 100% of the population in gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. that's the first time an entire population has been so classified. the princess of wales is seen for the first time since her surgery,

out shopping with prince william. the president of the european council calls for eu economies to be put on a war footing against russia. and the local community fighting the pollution of one of britain's most beautiful rivers. welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. the entire population of gaza is in need of humanitarian assistance and is suffering severe levels of acute food insecurity — those are the words of the us secretary of state antony blinken today. it's a stark assessment of the ongoing crisis in the territory as american pressure on israel grows. mr blinken has urged israel to prioritise the delivery of supplies into gaza. it comes as the un human rights office has said israel's continued

restrictions on getting aid in may amount to use of starvation