Costs on families. And thats why i think what were announcing today it is a break from the past. It is a change. Its a different way to approach these decisions. Britains Opposition Labour Party has condemned mr sunak� s move, and vowed to stick to the governments original net zero strategy. And the Scottish National party, which holds power in scotland, has also criticised the Uk Governments change of course. Earlier, i spoke to the First Minister of scotland, humza yousaf. First minister, thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news. I want to start with the uk Prime Minister rishi sunak� s announcement today on climate goals. The uk has been a leader on battling Climate Change. Where does this decision leave the uk . Well, it very firmly takes the uk out of the Global Consensus. The Global Consensus is we need to do more to tackle Climate Change. And the reason why scotland has been invited, for the first time, to the un for the Climate Ambition Summit is because we are showing leadership. So the same day we are showing leadership, the same day the whole world is gathered to talk about what more we can do, we have a uk Prime Minister rolling back on commitments. And i think. Are you saying that hes not showing leadership . Not only is he not showing leadership, i think what hes doing is utterly unforgiveable. It is something that, frankly, you would see on the fringes not in the mainstream on the fringes of politics, not in the mainstream. And what hes done is taken the uk out of that Global Consensus. Ive been speaking to heads of government. Ive been talking to heads of nations, and every single one ive spoken to, virtually every single one, has asked me what on earth the Prime Minister is doing. Its, frankly, an embarrassment. And what have you answered . Ive answered, look, im from scotland. Im responsible for what i can do. And i promise you well continue to show leadership. We will Just Transition away from fossil fuels to renewables, and well commit to loss and damages. Well commit to do everything we can to get the Uk Government to u turn, to change course. Because it is simply unforgiveable, because our children and future generations will be the ones who will suffer as a result. And the uk has lost a lot of influence over the years, post brexit. Its now, im afraid, diminished, i think, beyond recognition. So if you look at what rishi sunak has said, he has said that people are struggling with Cost Of Living and the uk will still be able to meet its climate goals. Whats your answer. Your response to that rather . Just as an aside, of course, people are struggling with the Cost Of Living crisis because his predecessor completely tanked the economy with a mini budget that meant inflation went up beyond 10 . But lets put that to the side for a moment. Hes right. People are suffering a Cost Of Living crisis, so its incumbent on government to step up and support people. So in scotland, for example, when it comes to if you want to buy an electric vehicle, we provide monetary support. When it comes to changing your Heating System from a direct emission Heating System to a zero emission Heating System, we provide funding. We provide funding in order to transition away from oil and gas and towards renewables. So governments have to step up, not step back. At the same time, it is also going to be difficult to balance, in scotland, combatting Climate Change and also helping people with the Cost Of Living, isnt it . Of course. This is all about difficult choices. Lets not pretend. Lets not equivocate. This is going to be difficult. The Climate Catastrophe deserves difficult choices. We have to make difficult choices. If we dont, what we saw this summer, all of the scenes of devastation across the world, including, of course, here in the United States, it will be worse next year and worse the year after and the year after. It is more expensive, both to economic costs, but human cost to do nothing. I want to come back to your point about the uks place in the world, because we spoke a little bit earlier to the former us Vice President al gore, and he said that he was also befuddled he doesnt, of course, have any thoughts on uk politics as hes not a citizen but is befuddled by the decision and said the following. He said he has spoken to members of the Conservative Party who have used the phrase utter disgust and contempt and young people who feel really strong about this. Is that the sentiment in scotland as well . Theyll feel betrayed. Have a Scottish Government that can try to prevent some of the harm thats coming from westminster. But we cant do all of it. We cant protect them entirely, because the full levers are not in our hand. And al gore is absolutely right. There is utter disgust, i think, at the Uk Governments u turn, the Prime Ministers u turn, in dumping some of these pledges. I dont even think, electorally, its going to work for him either. I think he will absolutely. What do you mean by that . I think hes taken a political calculation. Hes looked at some number somewhere thats been given to him that said, if you go on this issue, it will help you in the polls. I really dont think it will. I think most people out there see the news, see the pictures, see the devastation and what they dont want is their World Leaders or their heads of government, regardless of politics, to roll back. They want them to step up. Thats what the Scottish Government will do. Its just a shame that Uk Government, as i say, have further diminished their standing in the world by this nonsensical announcement. Again, rishi sunak would make the argument that his constituents in the uk would say we need to bring down the costs of energy at a time where people are really struggling to pay the bills at the end of the month and that, in the meantime, while meeting 2050 goals, it is important to make sure people can get by. And, look, i agree that people are struggling. So the responsibility for the Uk Government is to make sure that they do Energy Market reform. Why dont they make sure they price Renewable Energy so that it is, of course, cheaper than electric and gas . Look, on our west coast, we have the United States that have brought in the inflation reduction act. Theyve shown that theyre willing to put money to incentivise, to bring that investment in Renewable Technologies to their country. On our east coast, we have the eu, whos done a green deal partnership. And whats the uk done . Theyve twiddled their thumbs, theyve sat on their hands, theyve decided that theyre not going to do anything. And thats bad for our planet, but its also really bad for the Cost Of Living crisis. Scotland has an abundance of renewable technology. If youve ever been to scotland, as i know you have, its a very windy place, which is not great for your tourist experience, but its great for us, in terms of renewables. But the Uk Government have never priced it properly, and they could do that, and it would mean Cheaper Energy bills for everyone in the uk. So, First Minister, just a few days ago you said that scotland will transition from europes oil and gas capital to be its net zero capital and provide moral leadership on the climate crisis, but can scotland actually still do that with the Prime Ministers announcement today . Do you know what . I wish i could give you the absolute straight answer and say definitely. The difficulty is well need to look at what the Uk Government have done, and whether that impacts us because many of the levers still exist with the Uk Government. The power is in their hands over a number of issues. So i need to look at the detail of that. But what i wont do is i wont step back on my ambition. 0ur ambition remains actually to be net zero five years earlier than the uk in 2045. That remains the ambition, and even if the Uk Government put up roadblock after roadblock, Ourjob Willjust be to find a way to overcome that. I understand youll have to go back and look at the details, but what concrete steps can you take that is, scotland to move forward despite these restrictions that will be coming from the uk . So i suppose one of the biggest things is put up, as we have agreed to do, £500 million for theJust Transition from oil and gas to renewables. Because, look, ultimately, we dont want to leave a single oil and gas worker on the scrapheap. Thats not fair. Thats not a Just Transition. So what we have to do is invest. And what ive said to the Uk Government is, look, you have extracted billions of pounds to the uk treasury, hundreds of billions, over the decades, from oil and gas. Put a fraction of that back in order to help us with a Just Transition, and thats what id urge the Prime Minister to do. So one of the key debates about the uks climate ambition is over rosebank, which is britains largest oilfield, that is still untapped. Now, with the Prime Ministers announcement, will you push for that to indeed remain untapped . Im not at all convinced that rosebank should be going ahead, for quite obvious reasons, i think, particularly the argument around energy security, when the majority of rosebank, as you rightly say, is oil, and that oil then gets exported. It doesnt stay in scotland, or indeed the uk. What i would say is if you want another example of the abdication of political responsibility from the Prime Minister, he came up to scotland, i mean, a week, two weeks at most, after the Secretary General of the un said thatjuly was set to be the hottest month in human history. And Unlimited Oil and gas extraction is not going to help scotland, the uk, and most importantly, it isnt going to help the planet. What message are you taking back from this Un General Assembly, particularly on climate, back to the uk . Pretty simple message we all have to do more. We have to do that with pace and urgency and lets stop overcomplicating the matter. We have to put up the finance in order to transition. We have to make sure that we work with the global south around loss and damages and we have to phase out oil and gas. It is actually pretty simple, when you boil it down, and we have to take collective action, and scotland is certainly willing to play her part. First minister, thank you so much forjoining us. Thank you for your time. Other environmental leaders have been calling out the british Prime Ministers decision to roll back the uks climate commitments. Former us Vice President al gore has been here, attending the Un General Assembly, and he gave his reaction to my colleague Caitriona Perry, earlier. I have to say, first of all, i am not a citizen of the united kingdom, and i will leave that p kingdom, and i will leave that up to people who are citizens of the uk. But speaking from a global perspective, if i make it is certainly shocking and disappointing, particularly at a time when the rest of the world are struggling to move in the right direction, to have a leader of the uk, which has beenin leader of the uk, which has been in recent years trying to provide a leadership role, to turn back in the wrong direction. Again, this is for the people of the uk. I have heard from many friends in the uk, including many members of the Conservative Party by the way, we have used the phrase, utter disgust and contempt. And young people, who feel really strongly about this, some have said they feel like they were stabbed in the back. But this is for the uk to sort out and i am going to stay out of the political situation there. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. Irans parliament has passed a controversial bill that would jail women for up to ten years for dressing inappropriately. The move comes a year after protests erupted over the death in custody of mahsa amini, who was held for an allegedly improper hijab. The bill still needs to be approved by the Guardian Council to become law. The us Attorney General told congress that hes not the president s lawyer. Republican lawmakers grilled Merrick Garland on capitol hill on wednesday. They accuse him of targeting donald trump, but not being hard enough on hunter biden, the president s son. Garland said numerous times that the cases against both men are being overseen by special counsel. The Us Central Bank has kept its key Interest Rate unchanged, but left the door open to more hikes, moving froward. The nations benchmark rates remain at their highest level in more than two decades. The fed has already raised Borrowing Costs from near zero in march 2022, in a bid to cool the economy. Youre live with bbc news. The Prime Minister of poland says his country will stop providing weapons to ukraine, in an escalation of a dispute between the two countries over ukraines right to export grain to the eu. Russias invasion forced ukraine to export most of its grain over land into europe, sparking protests from eu farmers about plummeting prices. In response, the eu imposed a temporary ban on urainian grain. That eu wide ban expired last month, but poland, hungary and slovakia kept their own national bans in place, a move which has rankled kyiv. In his speech here at the Un General Assembly on tuesday, ukraines president , volodymr zelenskyy, said that some of ukraines friends in europe, play out solidarity in a political theatre, making a thrillerfrom grain. Poland condemned mr zelensky� s remarks, and summoned ukraines ambassador, Accusing Kyiv of implying that poland is indirectly supporting russia. Now polands Prime Minister, mateusz morawiecki, says poland will stop sending weapons to ukraine in order to focus on modernising its own armed forces. Speaking to a polish tv network, he said, we were the first to do a lot for ukraine and thats why we expect for them to understand our interests. Of course, we respect all of their problems, but for us, the interests of our farmers are the most important thing. This very public dispute between ukraine and one its closest european allies comes at an awkward time. As mr zekensky heads to washington to shore up the case for military aid, moscow has been trying to undermine the once united front he created. Ahead of that visit, i spoke to seth moulton, a democratic congressman from massachusetts. I want to start with what we saw here at the Un General Assembly today. In the Security Council, the Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke and he said that americas support of ukraine is, quote, the preoccupations of the democratic party. What do you make of that . I democratic party. What do you make of that . Democratic party. What do you make of that . I mean what hes t in to make of that . I mean what hes trying to do make of that . I mean what hes trying to do is make of that . I mean what hes trying to do is exploit trying to do is exploit divisions here in the United States. Divisions here in the United States, political divisions that states, political divisions that have obviously come up on ukraine that have obviously come up on ukraine funding. But asfour Ukraine Ukraine funding. But Asfour Ukraine from america is because Ukraine Ukraine from america is because ukraine has been illegally invaded by the russian federation, because Vladimir Putin federation, because Vladimir Putin is federation, because Vladimir Putin is conducting a criminal war putin is conducting a criminal war he, putin is conducting a criminal war. He, himself, isa war criminal. War. He, himself, isa war criminal, and the values that are at criminal, and the values that are at stake, the values that are at stake, the values that are being are at stake, the values that are being upheld by these ukrainian freedom fighters, are the very ukrainian freedom fighters, are the very values that are most dear the very values that are most dear to the very values that are most dear to america freedom, democracy, the right to self determination. Democracy, the right to selfdetermination. What do our selfdetermination. What do your constituents selfdetermination. What do your constituents tell selfdetermination. What do your constituents tell you,. Your constituents tell you, congressman . Do they continue to support the us sending billions of dollars to help ukraine . Billions of dollars to help ukraine . ,. ,. , ukraine . They do. They want accountability. Ukraine . They do. They want accountability. They ukraine . They do. They want accountability. They want ukraine . They do. They want accountability. They want to l accountability. They want to see an end to this conflict. They want to make sure that our Support Results in victory, so theyre notjust writing a blank cheque. But they back home in massachusetts they really do support the ukrainian cause, they understand the principles that are at stake, and i continue to make the case to the people thai represent that this is notjust about ukraines security. Its about our security as well, that if we dont stand up for our allies in the fundamental fight forfreedom, then allies in the fundamental fight for freedom, then autocracies like russia or china are going to walk over us and our allies all around the globe. A lot of people are concerned about china and whether they might start a War Over Taiwan. And weve heard time and time again here on the House Armed Services committee here in congress how one of the most important thing we can do to deter and prevent a War Over Taiwan is to see ukraine to victory. I taiwan is to see ukraine to victo. ,. ,. , victory. I want to come back to the divisions victory. I want to come back to the divisions you victory. I want to come back to the divisions you spoke victory. I want to come back to the divisions you spoke of victory. I want to come back to the divisions you spoke of in i the divisions you spoke of in the divisions you spoke of in the us right now, particularly between democrats and republicans on spending for ukraine. We know that ukrainian president zelensky is in washington tomorrow. Hell meet with President Joe Biden, but also with congressional leaders and it comes as there is this dispute over a 24 billion additional Assistance Package for ukraine. Its not clear whether the Speaker Of The House, kevin mccarthy, will be willing or able to get this package passed. Do you think that president zelensky will find support congressional leaders . ~ ,. , leaders . Wellt is an open question. Leaders . Wellt is an open question, not leaders . Wellt is an open question, not because question, not because republicans, most republicans, dont support ukraine. Behind closed doors, they do. But whats going on with the Republican Party today is its become completely subservient to this dangerous Extremist Wing of the party i mean right now in the house of representatives we have five republicans who have prevented the passage of even a bill to just fund our own troops, let alone fund ukraines. So the issueis alone fund ukraines. So the issue is not that most of my republican colleagues on the House Armed Services committee dont support ukraine, when we go on classified hearings, when were behind closed doors, they almost all do. The issue is whether kevin mccarthy, at Speaker Of The House someone who only got his job by catering to this Extremist Wing of the party the issue is whether he will be able to rally support in a way to actually get the votes for ukraine funding. Ukraine funding. And congressman, ukraine funding. And congressman, as ukraine funding. And congressman, as we | ukraine funding. And congressman, as we have you here and weve been talking about debates over funding for ukraine and passing that through congress, how likely do you think a Government Shutdown is . , ~ , is . Very likely. Very is . Very likely. Very likely. Is . Very likely. | very likely. And is . Very likely. Very likely. And im very is . Very likely. Very likely. And im very sorry to say that. Im embarrassed to say that as a United States congressman. But when i look at the chaos right now in the Republican Party, how this entire party has become subservient to this Extremist Wing, a few extreme, dangerous members of congress who dont care about our national security, dont care about doing the right thing for our government, dont care about even paying our troops because they werent even able to vote on that this week i think the likelihood is very high for a Government Shutdown. I asked a republican colleague about this a couple of days ago. As someone who, five years ago, would have been considered an extremist himself, his views havent changed, but hes now considered mainstream, as the party has gone further to the right. And he said, seth, you have to understand that, you know, these extremists in our party, these new extremists, they want Kevin Mccarthys head on a platter. They dont want him to be speaker. They want to slash and burn government funding. But what they want more than anything is a shutdown itself. Theyre actually trying to shut the government down. Thats how crazy these republicans are. And sadly, because mccarthy is basically beholden to them for hisjob, i think basically beholden to them for his job, i think thats what theyre going to get. Congressman, great, as always, to talk to you. Congressman, great, as always, to talk to you ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky took aim at the very structure of the un Security Concil during a special meeting on wednesday. He said it needs to do more to confront russia, including removing its veto power in the group. Just four other nations the us, china, france, and britain have the right to veto resolutions in the unsc. Translation in cases of mass atrocities against human rights, veto powers should be voluntarily suspended, but we can also observe that russia will not give up this stolen privilege voluntarily. Therefore, the Un General Assembly should be given a real power to overcome the veto. This will be the first necessary step. If it is impossible to stop the war because all efforts are vetoed by the aggressor. Russias foreign minister Sergei Lavrov defended the veto power, calling it a legitimate tool. Other countries, including estonia, Havejoined Ukraine in calling for reform of the Un Security Councils veto powers. I spoke to Estonian Foreign minister Margus Tsahkna earlier. Can you tell us what his message was to Security Council members . Members . Estonian message is very clear members . Estonian message is very clear members . Estonian message is very clear the members . Estonian message is very clear the security very clear the Security Council is not working because the aggressor is using the veto right and blocking everything. And also it harms a lot the un charter. All the basic rules, all the rules what we have agreed as a global society. And it cannot be prolonged in the meaning. We need reform in the Security Council. Security council. What should that reform Security Council. What should that reform look Security Council. What should that reform look like . Security council. What should that reform look like . We Security Council. What should l that reform look like . We must take out from that reform look like . We must take out from the. That reform look like . We must take out from the. These that reform look like . We must take out from the. These kind of decisions around aggression crimes, so crimes against humanity, the war crimes. In his remarks at the un on wednesday, mr zelensky has also made it a point to mention russias dangerous attacks on nuclear plants, including on zaphorizhia. My colleague Caitriona Perry spoke with rafael grossi, the director general of the International AtomicEnergy Agency about the security of the plants. From the very beginning, we took the bull by the horns, and we went there so the iaea is present there, is the International Organisation that is present, and that is providing assistance and informing the International Community what is going on. Ive been seeing president zelensky frequently. I saw foreign minister kuleba yesterday. We are continuing this support. Ive spoken here at the un Security Council a certain number of basic principles that should be observed to avoid a Nuclear Accident with serious radiological consequences, boiled down to dont attack a Nuclear Power plant or dont militarise a Nuclear Power plant using it as a Military Base to project force. So, so far, we have been able to contain the situation. Im not saying its contain the situation. Im not saying its stable. Im not saying its stable. Im not saying we are reached any point of satisfaction in terms of the security of the plant. We go day by day. We have to continue. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky� s tour of the us will continue on thursday with a visit to washington dc. He will will travel to capitol hill to meet with members of both the house and senate. And hell visit the defense department, where he is expected to speak with defense secretary lloyd austin. The ukrainian president will also meet with President Joe Biden at the white house. This visit comes as zelensky is looking for congressional support for the biden administrations request for 24 billion in aid for ukraine, amid a looming us budget battle. Azerbaijans president has said hes restored full sovereignty over the armenian majority region of nagorno karabakh, which has been ruled as an Unrecognised Breakaway Republic since 1991. In a statement after accepting a ceasefire deal from the separatist forces, ilham aliyev insisted he had nothing against the Ethnic Armenian population, only what he called their criminal leadership. Mr aliev launched a Military Offensive two days ago, claiming that troops from neighbouring armenia were on ground in nagorno karabakh. Armenian officials denied those claims and said azerbaijan had carried out a clear violation of international law. Despite mr aliyev� s reassurances, the white house has expressed concern about a worsening humanitarian situation. Many armenians appear to be fleeing the region. Russian peacekeepers say theyve already evacuated at least 2000 people. Reports say hundreds, if not thousands, have headed to the regions main airport. Reyhan demetrie has more. The wednesday Ceasefire Agreement marks the failure of the 35 year strugg of the Karabakh Armenians for self determination. Uncertainty now looms over the 120,000 Ethnic Armenians living in the region. Almost everybody there has a Family Member who fought in wars with azerbaijan and many fear persecution. Azerbaijan says that the rights of Ethnic Armenians will be guaranteed under its constitution, but there is very little, or no, trust between the two communities. Azerbaijans anti terror operation was the final push by baku to regain territories it lost in the 1990s, with the aim to return Hundreds Of Thousands of azerbaijanis displaced by the conflict. The republic of armenia, which supported Karabakh Armenians, both financially and militarily, has suffered a bitter defeat. And its relations with russia, once a powerful ally, have reached a new low. And before we go, an ocean away from the hard nosed diplomacy weve seen here in new york, weve seen statecraft of a more regal nature. French president Emmanuel Macron there toasting the friendship between the uk and france. He was speaking at the start of a three day visit by britains king charles. Macron said the kings visit is a tribute to our past, and a guarantee of the future. King charles responded in kind, speaking movingly about his mothers ties to france, as he told of the firm friendship between the nations. Thats all for now from outside the un. Im sumi somaskanda, and ill be back at the top of the hour with more. Stay with us here on bbc news hello there. Wednesday was a wet and a windy day, starting off across North West Wales where we had gusts of wind of 70 miles per hour. It was here where we also saw some very heavy rain over the space of 36 hours, 133mm fell, a good chunk of the september average, and so far this month, weve actually had 206mm of rain, so it has already been a wetter september than average and of course theres more of septemberjust around course theres more of september just around the corner. The same area of low pressure that brought all of the wet and windy conditions stays to the north of the uk over the next couple of days and certainly windy at the moment with rain in scotland, another rain band slowly pulling away from east angela and south east england. What follows essentially for england and wales is a day of sunny spells and showers. However, that low pressure will continue to bring strong winds to scotland and to Northern Ireland. And, infact, its scotland and to Northern Ireland. And, in fact, its not just windy. This band of rain will push its way southwards, so the rain does return to the Central Lowlands and to Northern Ireland after a sunny start. For england and wales, though, showers really get going into the afternoon and i think across parts of wales and south west england, some of the showers will merge together to give some really intense downpours. It could be pretty prolonged as well. Temperatures quite close to average, really about 15 to 19 degrees celsius. 0n into friday, its the same story. The low pressure is still there for Northern Scotland. These strong north westerly winds bringing frequent showers to the north and western side of the uk but in the afternoon therell be showers popping up in the east as well. Some of them could be heavy, again with the odd rumble of thunder, and the temperature is not changing much, 15 to 18 degrees celsius, feeling cool in the north given those strong winds. Heading into saturday, another change, a ridge of High Pressure ahead of the next weather system. What all this means is that saturday, actually, is going to be an ok day. 0k, therell be a few showers for Northern Scotland but most of us will have a fine and sunny morning. Make the most of that because cloud will tend to build in and certainly into the afternoon well start to see some Rain Arriving in Northern Ireland and perhaps fringe into Western Scotland but that is towards the end of the day and overall, saturday is looking 0k. By sunday, well, the low pressure in the atlantic just sunday, well, the low pressure in the atlanticjust nudges a bit closer. Weve got another band of rain moving Into The West and so it does turn quite windy and increasingly unsettled with rain and showers around, and thats probably going to stay with us as well into the early part of next week. V0|ce 0ver this is bbc news. Well have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. This is vazon bay in guernsey. On a sunny day like this, its easy to see why so many come to dip their toes into island life. Scattered across the world, island communities dont often get the chance to get together and show what they can achieve. But every two years, its sport that brings them closer. They come from europe, the South Atlantic and the caribbean. 24 islands, 14 sports, across six days of action. This is the island games. 900 miles away off the north coast of scotland, shooter Ross Donaldson and his teammates are starting the long trip south