Yes,
>> bad news for bill payers. Energy costs
are on the increase again. 34 million
customers in England, Scotland, and
Wales will see their electricity and gas
go up with the price cap on providers
rising by 2%. That's more than expected
and is causing real concern. Disabled
people are already disproportionately
affected. There's a lot of people in my
position that work full-time and they
might work from home, for example, which
means that their energy is going to
skyrocket.
The news adds an unwelcome chill as we
move into autumn and comes despite
falling wholesale energy prices. So,
what's behind the rise and could there
be more on the way? Also tonight,
what a difference a day makes. Farage
flips on his pledge to make mass
deportations of illegal migrants, saying
women and children might be spared. Just
>> I was very very clear yesterday in what
I said that that the deportation of
illegal immigrants. We were not even
discussing women and children at this
stage. There were so many illegal males
in Britain.
Over
200,000 displaced by floods in Pakistan
after a month of monsoon rains fell in
just 24 hours.
Here, an asylum seeker on trial for
sexual assault in Eping tells the court
I'm not a wild animal.
And meet the in-laws. Travis Kelce's dad
spills the secrets of his engagement to
Taylor Swift.
by Travis says, "When are you going to
announce the the engagement?" He said,
"Whenever Taylor says so.
[Music]
This is the ITV Evening News with Mary
Nightingale."
>> Good evening. There is a pretty grim
news tonight for millions of households
already struggling with the high cost of
energy. Energy bills for 34 million
Wales look set to go up this autumn
after it was revealed that the price cap
on providers will rise by 2%. That is
more than widely expected and comes
despite falling wholesale energy prices.
Customers are being urged to find
savings by switching. But there is some
good news for those who owe money to
their energy supplier. It's emerged that
some debts could be wiped out next year.
Here's our consumer editor, Chris Choy.
Energy customers like Miles Pearson
hoped for lower bills. After all,
wholesale energy prices have actually
fallen. But despite that, power bills
are rising ahead of winter. Disabled
affected. Yeah. Unfortunately, there's a
lot of people in my position that work
full-time and they might work from home,
for example, which means that their
energy is going to skyrocket. Over the
last 3 months, wholesale energy prices
fell 2%. And yet, from October, bills
for 34 million customers who are not on
fixed rate deals will rise by 2%. It
brings the average annual price cap
energy bill to £1,755.
About half the rise, around £17 per
bill, pays for changes to the
government's warm homes discount, giving
reductions to 6 million low-income
customers. And around 14 of the rise is
for extra costs to run the energy
system.
>> We've seen fixing go up. You know, now
there's nearly a third of people that
are fixing. Now, a UK switching surge is
underway as customers move from standard
variable tariffs to fixed rates. Dozens
of deals now beat the price cap. Some
saving hundreds of pounds.
>> Today, when we've looked at it, there
are 27 deals currently that are cheaper
than the announced price cap. The
highest savings are getting close to
£300 actually for for average
consumption.
>> But customers are now in record energy
debt of more than4 billion pounds. A
portion of what some people owe could
now be wiped out under proposals from
the sector's watchdog gem.
>> What we're looking at with the debt
relief scheme is to target the debt that
built up in households during the crisis
when energy bills were exceptionally
high.
>> Isn't the danger here that you'll
incentivize people not to pay their
bills? How are you going to sort out the
can't pays from the won't pays?
>> Well, the important thing there and it
is a real issue. We are targeting those
those households where we know people
are on very low incomes and have have
faced issues that they cannot deal with.
>> Already 40% are struggling to pay. And
now as cold weather approaches, the
scene is set for yet another bill to
rise for millions.
>> You can almost feel the heart sinking
all over the country, can't you? Are
there going to be more rises coming down
the line, do you think?
>> There's some fairly ominous price
pressures coming. A lot of it is
rejigging the national grid. Already
offjem has authorized 24 billion pounds
that could stretch to 110 billion
eventually and that trickles down and is
taken from our bills. Then there are
those debt pressures. We just heard
about them4 billion pounds. Now not a
lot of people realize that already 52
pounds from an average bill is going to
pay off other people's bad debts. Now,
we don't know what the implications are
of this proposed new debt relief scheme.
What we do know is the overall picture
looks pretty grim because when it comes
to rising bills, it seems it's just one
thing after another.
>> Yeah, it's never good news, is it Chris?
Thank you.
Nigel Farage today appeared to backtrack
on his plans for mass deportations of
asylum seekers arriving illegally. He
seemed to be rowing back on his
statement yesterday that women and
children would be among those who'd be
deported under reform's small boats
plan. Mr. Farage made the remarks in
Scotland today as he unveiled a
conservative defector. Our Scotland
correspondent Peter Smith is in Glasgow.
Um Peter, how much of a climb down is
this by Mr. Farage?
Yeah. Well, Mary Nigel Farage had
arrived in Scotland boyed by his big
announcement yesterday on mass
deportations and he was here on a
mission to park reforms tanks on
Hollywood's lawn. But he's been accused
of very quickly reaching for the reverse
gear over his big pitch and his big big
idea. Now, just listen to what he had to
say. But first, I just ask our audience
to consider in the context that this is
what he said yesterday. The only way we
will stop the boats is by detaining and
deporting absolutely anyone that comes
via that route. Now listen to what Mr.
Farage told the audience in Edinburgh
today.
in Britain. And the news reports that
said that after my conference yesterday
were wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
Now again just a reminder in the context
that he had said yesterday women and
children everybody on arrival will be
detained. Now after this media
conference he was forced to clarify yet
again he said apparently single women
will be detained and deported children
will not women with children well he
said that's complicated and requires
further requires further consideration.
>> And Peter a conservative MSP has
defected to reform today. How much of a
coup is that for the party?
Well, yes, it's Graeme Simpson, MSP.
Now, he's not exactly a blockbuster
name. He's not household name in
Scotland. You can see he's been it's
clearly a key a cue a cue for reform to
have this defection. Although Nigel Fra
was forced to make another
clarification. He said that Graeme
Simpson was reform's first Scottish MSP.
That of course was Michelle Ballentine.
Nigel Farra says she was before his
time.
>> Peter Smith in Glasgow. Thank you.
Two children aged eight and 10 have been
killed in a school shooting in the
United States. The shooting happened
during a mass for pupils at the
Annunciation Catholic School in
Minneapolis. The authorities say the
gunman began firing through the window
using a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol
before then taking his own life. 17
people were injured, including 14
children. Two children are in a critical
condition.
A huge area of Pakistan is tonight under
threat of further flooding after
warnings from India that it has opened
the gates of two major river dams to
prevent them bursting. Heavy monsoon
rains have continued to drench the
crossber Kashmir region with more than
200,000 people now displaced in Pakistan
according to the latest official
estimates in the Jamu region of Indian
controlled Kashmir which saw a month's
worth of rain in 24 hours. 33 people
were killed when a landslide engulfed a
Hindu pilgrimage route with rivers
flowing from India into Pakistan's vital
Punjab region. Floods that have already
caused widespread devastation and now
with the opening of the dams threatening
Pakistan's second biggest city Lahore on
one of the holiest shrines of the seek
region is now underwater. Carrie Davis
reports.
When a swollen river moves with such
devastating force, raging is exactly
right. In Indian controlled Kashmir,
intense rains have triggered flash
flooding. The mass of water has ripped
through roads and buildings in Jamu and
dumped the rubble downstream.
When this bridge began to crumble, cars
were at risk of falling into the river
below. Those inside a white 4x4 were
lucky to escape. Inescapable was the
crush of a huge landslide that killed at
least 32 people.
>> We had no time to react, not even a
single second to save anyone. She says
her daughter and sister are among the
dead.
With its dams overflowing, India has
warned neighboring Pakistan it's opening
gates and releasing water into rivers
the two countries share.
It means things are expected to get
worse in the already flooded areas of
Pakistan's Punjab province. Today, the
army have been called in to help with
evacuations.
The region, home to half the country's
240 million people, is also its
agricultural heartland.
Our houses were submerged and everything
was destroyed. He says the mudous
collapsed. We saved our children and
animals.
Pakistan has been particularly badly hit
this monsoon season. As a result, almost
800 people have been killed nationwide
since late June. Scientists say climate
change is fueling heavier rains across
South Asia, raising the risk of
catastrophic flooding. Carrie Davis, ITV
News.
There is more ahead in the Ice of
Evening news, including the battle to
contain a wildfire burning for more than
a fortnight on the North York Moors.
And new details about the Taylor Travis
engagement.
That and more after the break. See them?
Hello again. Welcome back. Firefighters
are tonight still battling to control a
major wildfire in North Yorkshire that's
been raging for 16 days. The blaze broke
out on Langdale Moore on the 11th of
August and is estimated to have affected
up to 2,000 acres of Morland. Smoke from
the blaze has been visible along much of
the North Yorkshire coast. As far a
field as Skippton, 80 miles away, fire
crews have been called up because of
smoke believed to come from the
wildfire. Our Northern England reporter
Jonathan Brown is in Roar in North
Yorkshire. Jonathan, what's happening
where you are?
>> Well, to be frank, Mary, quite a lot
today. I'm as you say in a tiny village
called Raw near Whitby on the North
Yorkshire coast and there have
effectively been rolling road closures
all over this area over the past 24 48
hours or so. That's because the winds
basically been blowing the smoke and the
fire from this Moore fire in all
different directions. Residents in this
area have actually been told to pack a
bag just in case they have to evacuate
at any time. But as you might be able to
tell, the smoke has gone uphill away
from this area. This problem isn't going
away, but it is evolving.
>> As a relentless summer of droughts goes
on, the heat continues to encroach on
those living on the Yorkshire coast.
>> Try and cut the heather in front of the
fire so that it has no fuel to burn.
>> Farmers last night desperately trying to
save their land with 25 square
kilometers ablaze after being starved of
rain, leaving many fearing for their
homes.
Everything's here and in the back of the
van.
>> We've fleed it. Yeah.
>> Michelle, who's lived on land near
Whitby all her life, says her home was
surrounded by smoke to the point she
decided to evacuate her horse, Bertie.
>> We're praying for rain now to try and
help the firefighters and the farmers
put it out.
>> Seen anything like this before?
>> No, not in my town. No, I don't really
want to experience it again either.
Bertie is one of several animals taken
to this equestrian center 11 miles away
after the owner offered stables for free
to help out. In Whitby, the views have
been clouded by drifting smoke as
firefighters and volunteers several
miles away continue to tackle a more
fire that started 16 days ago. That's
prompted well-wishes in the town to
donate supplies to help those trying to
stop the spread. They've got volunteers
up there putting the fire out cuz the
government don't seem interested in
getting the army or anybody involved and
uh and they're up there thirsty and
hungry.
>> Meanwhile, the fire service says talks
are ongoing to bolster its work while
the situation it says is under control.
The next steps for us we will hopefully
as we said we'll work through we'll
receive the national resilience assets
but we also have to be realistic and as
the fire has continued to uh move across
the moors we have evacuated smallcale
areas.
Well, this is as close as we can get to
the fire at the moment, though the smell
here is still thick in the air. But
finally, in the last few minutes, we
have started to feel drops of
rainfalling,
but it's going to take many more of them
for people's fears here to be fully
extinguished.
Despite the brief showers, the burning
here continues. This ever evolving fire
threatening more land and more
livelihoods as the days go by. Jonathan
Brown, ITV News, Whitby.
>> An asylum seeker who was a resident at a
hotel in Eping told a court today, "I am
not a wild animal." Hadush Gerber Slazi
Kabalu, who's from Ethiopia and arrived
by smallboat, denies trying to kiss a
14-year-old girl. Speaking through an
interpreter, he said, "I can't do these
things." Well, Neil Connor is at
Colchester Magistrate's Court. So Neil,
what exactly happened there today?
>> Well, Mary, the court heard from a woman
who claimed that Hadouch Kabatu was
begging, pleading, and apologizing when
she confronted him after he allegedly
sexually assaulted a 14year-old girl.
Now, the witness who alleges he also
sexually assaulted her said he tried to
run away when confronted. The woman's
999 call was played in court. She was
emotional, following him back to the
Bell Hotel where he was a resident. She
screamed, "Get away from them kids."
Shouting he was a pedophile. She was
asked by the defense barister, "Were you
angry about asylum seekers in this
country?" She replied, "I was angry that
he touched a 14-year-old girl." Now,
video of Mr. Kabatu's arrest that day
was also shown. He took the stand this
afternoon. And speaking through a
translator, he said, "I am not a wild
animal." He said he was from Ethiopia
and had been a sports teacher. He denied
all the allegations, saying, "I am a
Christian. This is not in my culture."
As well, when asked about the alleged
14-year-old victim, he replied, "She
could my she could be my daughter. She
is very young." He also denied touching
the woman who claimed she was his second
victim. He claimed she was drunk, moving
closer to him, saying he was handsome,
inviting him to her house. This trial
continues with summing up and verdict
expected next Thursday.
Neil Connory in Colchester. Thank you.
And finally, in a celebrity story as
headline grabbing as Taylor Swift's
engagement, it is always good, isn't it,
to get the inside track. And the singing
star's future father-in-law certainly
provided that today, revealing more
details about how it all happened. It
seems the American football player
Travis Kelce actually popped the
question nearly a fortnight ago,
although his dad says he guessed it was
on the cards months ago. Laura Jones
>> Send Travis and Taylor a giant
congratulations for being engaged.
>> A pop princess and a sports superstar
will soon see their love story reach a
happy ending. And the news sent fans
into a frenzy.
>> There's Swift.
>> Swift's engaged.
Guess guess who's engaged? Taylor Swift.
>> In a five picture Instagram post, Taylor
Swift announced her engagement to
American football player Travis Kelce.
He's pictured on one knee popping the
question in a garden overflowing with
flowers. It's since been liked 30
million times, including by the Prince
and Princess of Wales. But we found out
more details on the proposal from a very
proud dad.
>> I didn't get a text. I got a a FaceTime
call from them and uh
as soon as I as soon as I saw the
FaceTime and so it was Travis and then I
saw Taylor there with them, I knew what
they were going to say. Kind of look at
it the same way that I'm sure the Swifts
do. This is still the little kid they
raised at home.
>> Well wishes have been pouring in from
elsewhere.
>> Taylor Swift is engaged
>> from fellow sports stars.
>> U my team showed me on Instagram. Um,
well, I'm just happy for her cuz she
deserves the best to other singers like
Sabrina Carpenter,
>> but Swift is well known for Heartbreak
anthems.
>> Some fans have questioned what it could
mean for her music in the future.
>> Whilst in the past there has been music
about breakups, there's been so much
music about love and friendship, the
experiences of being a woman in the
spotlight. So, I think actually we
perhaps might start seeing some more
glimpses of songs like So High School,
which is rumored to be about Travis
Kelce. In the meantime, they'll eagerly
be awaiting more details, including on
what the couple will wear. Perhaps a top
hat and tales. Either way, it looks like
Taylor Swift has found her endgame.
Laura Jones, ITV News.
Well, Tom's here with news at 10 on
slightly later tonight after the
football just after 20 10. But from me
and all the evening news team, bye-bye.