After protests, record numbers of boat
crossings, and a divisive political
debate, the government's tried to show
it can get a grip on illegal migration.
The home secretary pauses refugee family
reunions and promises to close all
asylum hotels by 2029 as part of radical
measures announced today.
>> We're bringing forward new immigration
rules this week to temporarily suspend
new applications under the existing
dedicated refugee family reunion route.
>> The move was criticized by opposing
politicians and those who have fled
persecution and now want to bring their
families to join them.
family reunification pulling that away
from us. It shouldn't be. Like I said,
humanity should always come first.
The plans come as Syama reshuffles his
Downing Street team after a difficult
first year in office. But will the reset
work? Roberts will give us his analysis.
Also tonight,
the search for survivors after at least
800 people are killed following a
powerful earthquake in Afghanistan.
China rolls out the red carpet for
Russia and India. With Trump in the
White House, its leaders appear closer
than ever.
>> But instead of making progress towards
peace in Ukraine, the Russian leader has
come to China for an extended visit,
embraced by regional partners who offer
him legitimacy and no demands to end the
war.
>> Premier League club splashed the cash
with Liverpool smashing the Premier
League record again. and
>> I never gave up when they said I was
doomed. The royap with my silent
>> giving everyone a voice. How AI is
breaking down barriers for musicians
living with disabilities.
>> Kind of want it to be emotional and to
be almost to my voice hopefully
recovered.
[Music]
This is ITV News at 10 with Gamal
Famble.
Good evening. As MPs returned to the
Commons today, the debate that's
dominated the summer followed them into
the chamber. illegal migration and
specifically the use of asylum hotels
has been the subject of column inches,
court battles and protests. Everyone has
had something to say and today it was
the government's turn. The home
secretary's attempts to grasp the nettle
focused on the number of migrants
applying to bring their families to the
UK. Cooper said the current
reunification rules were too generous
and that she was suspending
applications. It's provoked anger from
refugee groups and appeals from migrants
wishing for their loved ones to join
them. It's also attracted scorn from the
government's opponents who say ministers
need to go much further.
>> Migrants arriving via small boat.
>> It has been the one focus of politics.
>> Today we're going to talk about illegal
immigration
>> and protest all summer.
>> Illegal immigration
>> and now to the autumn of asylum. and now
called the Home Secretary,
>> dominating debate right from day one of
the new term.
>> When we wave the Union flag, when we
wave the St. George's flag, when we sing
God Save the King and celebrate
everything that is great about Britain
and about our country, we do so with
pride because of the values that our
flags, our king, and our country
represent. Among them, she said, is
fairness, including in the asylum
system, which will change with immediate
effects of fail.
>> We are bringing forward new immigration
>> Refugee family reunion visas have soared
in recent years. Almost 21,000 people
were granted one in the year to June, up
from 5,000 in 2011. The Home Secretary
is temporarily suspending all
applications while also tightening up
the asylum appeal system. And the prime
minister added today that he wants to
bring forward the promised closure of
asylum hotels as Labour's legacy becomes
defined by channel crossings. 29,03
illegal immigrants have crossed the
English Channel. That is the worst year
in history and everyone can see it. But
not everyone does see it that way.
>> Hi, it's your boy Joel and we're here at
the National Assembly in Abuja. And
we're
>> Joel Morty's story is also one of
contentious flag flying. He organized
the first Pride in Nigeria in 2019
before persecution forced him to flee to
the UK. He says his family have since
been subjected to acid attacks.
>> That's my mom. We're like two peas in a
pod. Some now have asylum here with him,
but not his mother or brother.
>> Family reunification, pulling that away
from us. It shouldn't be, like I said,
humanity should always come first. Um,
yeah. So, I I I I'm pleading to Iet
Cooper and everyone, you know, who have
the power not to take it away cuz you're
taking away lifeline. Charities say
ending official family applications may
lead to more desperate crossings. Joel's
used to raising his voice in politics,
but the government's having to listen to
louder ones.
>> And that's my mom, and this was taken in
>> Well, Paul is here as well as Robert to
bring us his take. It certainly feels
like the government is coming out to the
blocks today trying to get on top of an
issue that has dominated politics over
the summer. Paul, first to you. I mean,
you've been out and about um around the
country in recent weeks and months. It
is clear that migration is still a a
divisive issue.
>> Yeah. And I think this is an admission
from the government today in some ways
that it has lost control of the
narrative that others have set the
narrative over the summer and this is
the dominant narrative now in politics
by some margin. Immigration is the top
concern certainly among parliamentarians
also I think among voters according to
the polling. And so no surprise today
first day back at term the first person
up at the dispatch box to make a speech
is the home secretary on immigration or
asylum. I thought there was some nuance
actually in her speech today. She made a
point, for example, of uh saying that
Britain should be offering asylum to
people fleeing persecution. People like
Joel, who you saw in my report there,
who's actually won a Diana award for his
contribution to society. And I think
sometimes people like that get lost in
this debate at the moment. People with
really legitimate claims. You know, his
life was absolutely in danger in
Nigeria. But this is a polarized debate
that's going on at the moment. And the
challenge for the government is it has
made some progress over the summer. The
deal with France, for example, was an
achievement of sorts, this returns deal,
but they're all quite sort of peacemeal
achievements. Gradualist, a kind of
gradualist approach here. And if there's
one thing, I'm sure Robert would agree
that we've learned from Western
democracies lately is that radical is
often far more popular than gradual and
there are plenty of other parties
offering radical at the moment.
>> Yeah, Robert, as Paul was saying, it is
a matter that really has dominated the
agenda over the last few weeks. I mean,
how important is it to the government
that it is seen to be getting to grips
with illegal migration and border
security?
>> So, look, obviously, there's this
statistic of record numbers in the early
months of this year risking their lives,
you know, in a way that's truly
troubling to come across uh the channel
to seek asylum. But to be clear, the
statistic that Karmama and his
colleagues are focused on is the 10 to
15% lead that reform has in the opinion
polls. Almost all of which is
attributable to the fact that Nigel
Farage is more trusted on this issue
than any other party leader. Now, as
Paul has said, some would say that his
solution, 600,000 deportations
uh in the first year of a reformed
government, were there ever to be a
reformed government, is sort of
simplistic and probably undeliverable,
but to many British people, it is
credible and it is the kind of boldness
they claim they want. So it is uh it was
a big moment for the home secretary
today to persuade people that the
government's more peacemeal approach
will work. But thank goodness for them
they got a couple of years at least to
prove whether or not it is working.
>> Yeah indeed they have. Robert the prime
minister began the new political term
with the reshuffle inside number 10.
Just a quick picture of where we are.
Darren Jones who is working at number 11
Downing Street as chief secretary of the
treasury is moved into a brand new role.
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister
Sik Salas also hired Manish Shafi the
former deputy governor of the Bank of
England as chief economic adviser.
Robert uh will this help to get the
government back on the front foot do you
think? Look this is a very substantial
change to the machinery of Downing
Street and it is a recognition by the
prime minister that frankly his first
year in government didn't work out
terribly well for him. They were sort of
battered by all manner of events such as
the small boats crisis, the you know the
the the fact that housing uh migrants in
hotels has been so unpopular, welfare
reforms that were overturned because of
rebellions from his own MPs. All sorts
of other changes that that he had to go
back on because they proved to be
unpopular. Now the the point about these
two big appointments that you've just
cited are one in the case of Darren
Jones, his job uh and he's proved pretty
effective at the Treasury when it comes
to limiting public spending. His job is
to corral all the different governments
around sorry departments around the
prime minister's priorities. As for
Minister Shafi, she is there to give the
prime minister the authority to say to
the chancellor and the treasury
actually what you're proposing is wrong
and can't be done. So for example, it is
widely thought that if he'd had a senior
economic adviser, given that he himself
is not an economic, you know, expert
when they came into government, that
economic adviser would have persuaded
the prime minister to veto that
abolition of universal entitlement to
the winter fuel payment, which turned
out to be a political disaster. Up to
now, basically Downing Street has gone
along with whatever Treasury officials
have cooked up, much of which frankly
has been muddleheaded and very
unpopular. So, this is really an attempt
by the prime minister to get back at
least some of that economic control.
>> Yes. If this reset doesn't make any
difference whatsoever. Okay, Robert and
Paul. Um, thank you both. Thank you.
And with reform presenting a new and
distinct challenge for number 10, Harry,
this special report as the party gets to
grits with local government. He's filmed
with reform politicians across the
country, including the leader of
Warikshire councelor Council, George
Finch.
>> He still lives with his parents and
doesn't drive. At 19, he's the UK's
youngest council leader. Have they been
giving you stick about your age or have
they been all right with you?
>> Uh, well, it's a protective
characteristic, is it? I take it back to
those. I
You can watch his full extended report
right now on ITVX or on the ITV News
YouTube channel.
The frailty of Afghanistan's
infrastructure was exposed with the
deadliest consequences last night. A 6.0
magnitude earthquake struck the country,
burying hundreds of people beneath
collapsed buildings. The epicenter of
the quake was in Kunar province in
eastern Afghanistan near the city of
Jalalabad. It's remote region with
residents left to dig with their hands
for neighbors and loved ones. So far,
the Taliban government estimates that
over 800 people have died
>> in one of the most isolated corners of
eastern Afghanistan. They search in a
haze of dust and grief for survivors.
Most villages here are too remote for
rescue teams to reach. Their homes of
mud, brick and wood, no match for an
earthquake that struck just after
midnight, tearing buildings and sleeping
families apart.
>> My dad, my dad, cries this little boy
on footage from Afghan television. But
with communication so difficult, the
fate of his father isn't clear.
Even for those who are pulled out alive,
there is no easy way of reaching medical
treatment.
The only way to escape much of Kunar
Province right now is by air. But there
are too many wounded and not enough
helicopters or space on board to get the
wounded out, let alone get heavy lifting
equipment in, leaving those left behind
losing hope.
Almost the entire village has collapsed.
There are children trapped under the
rubble. The elderly are under the
rubble. Young people are under the
rubble. We need help here.
The Taliban run government says it put a
rescue operation into place shortly
after the quake hit.
But there is little foreign aid here
since it took power in one of the
world's poorest countries. With so few
resources, some of the worst hit areas
are still to be reached.
>> Right now, because of the earthquake,
there have been several landslides that
have happened and that have blocked even
the existing roadways and pathways.
So, search and rescue efforts are going
to be extraordinarily difficult.
>> Already, the fragile health system here
is overwhelmed with every hospital in
the region declaring a state of
emergency.
But the graveyards of the Mazar Valley
are overflowing, too. The death toll so
high that mass funerals are beginning to
be held.
>> Afghanistan burying its dead and
desperately trying to help those still
clinging on to survival in a place where
so many now need assistance and there is
so little to go around. Rachel Younger,
News at 10.
We can only guess what part is for small
talk between three of the most powerful
men in the world. But Xiinping, Vladimir
Putin, and Narendra Modi do at least
appear to be enjoying each other's
company. They're currently in China at
an annual summit called the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization. The group is
designed to be a direct challenge to the
US-led world order. Xi, Putin, and Modi
all made barbs towards the West as they
spoke today.
If Donald Trump believed his tariffs on
India might make Narendra Modi think
twice about doing business with Russia,
then seeing the Indian leader holding
hands with Vladimir Putin. Having a
laugh with him and Xi Jinping might
suggest his plan has backfired.
Perhaps the joke they shared was even at
the expense of the US president. It felt
at times like Trump was the elephant in
the room at this regional security
summit. He was not mentioned by name but
seemingly alluded to in references to
bullying and a cold war mentality.
Host Chinese President Xi spoke of a
turbulent world.
>> We must promote a correct historical
perspective on World War II and oppose
the Cold War mentality, block
confrontation and bullying practices.
As China prepares to mark its World War
II victory day this week, she has
repeatedly asserted that it was the
Chinese army, not just the Americans,
who defeated Japan.
President Putin was focused on the war
he is fighting today, using his opening
address to declare the war in Ukraine
was started by an uprising sparked by
the West.
This crisis arose not as a result of
Russia's attack on Ukraine, but as a
result of the coup d'etar in Ukraine,
which was supported and provoked by the
West.
>> The Russian leader said an understanding
had been reached with Donald Trump that
might pave the way to a resolution, but
he also doubled down on his NATO
security concerns and claims on regions
of Ukraine. President Trump had
suggested that after Alaska, Vladimir
Putin's next step would be a meeting
with President Zilinski. But instead of
making progress towards peace in
Ukraine, the Russian leader has come to
China for an extended visit. Embraced by
regional partners who offer him
legitimacy and no demands to end the
war, the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization has been described as the
scariest grouping of nations in the
world. You might not be familiar with
the China backed block, but its members
include four nuclear powers and
anti-western Iran and Bellarus.
Together, the full membership represents
almost half of the world's population
and includes countries which dominate
the world's energy and mineral reserves.
It is India's growing reliance on
Russian oil that has placed Modi in
Trump's crosshairs. He reassured Putin
they would continue to stand
shouldertosh shoulder
special and privilege.
>> Your excellency, it is a testament to
the depth and breadth of our privileged
and strategic partnership even in the
most trying circumstances. Let us march
side by side.
This was China's showcase of an
alternative to what was called the
obsolete Europe and North American
centric world.
So Debbie, on the face of it, President
Xi's new world order presented a united
front, but there are some complex
dynamics at play, not least between
India and Pakistan, who were at war
earlier this year.
>> Well, Gamal, the SEO has drawn
comparisons to NATO, even labeled
anti-NATO, but there are no formal
treaties or agreements between member
nations. They're not obliged to come to
one another's defense or even trade with
one another. And despite the friendly
optics we saw today between India and
China, their deep rivalries mean that
they are far from forming a genuine
alliance. And you mentioned India and
Pakistan, tensions between them are
still raw between that 4-day conflict in
May of this year. And although China was
able to get them both back around the
table in Tanzhin, it was also China that
provided the fighter jets that helped
Pakistan in that recent conflict. And
some of those fighter jets are going to
be on display at that military parade
here on Wednesday. Narendra Modi has
left China ahead of that event. Perhaps
because entering stage right is the
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In the
next few days, we may well see the first
meeting between Kim Putin and Xi
Jinping.
>> Debbie in Beijing. Many thanks indeed.
Now, Russian attempts to destabilize the
West were in sharp focus back in Europe
today as well. Moscow has been accused
of jamming the GPS signal on a plane
carrying European Commission President
Ursula Vanderelion. Its pilots were
reportedly forced to use paper maps to
land in Bulgaria. Miss Vondelion is
currently on a 4-day tour of the EU
nations bordering Russia and its ally
Bellarus. Today is the latest incident
of signal jamming linked to the Kremlin.
Now, the start of autumn brought with it
confirmation that this year's was a
record-breaking summer. In fact, 2025 is
now the hottest ever recorded in the UK
in a continuation of a worrying trend.
All five of the UK's warmest summers
have now come since the turn of the
century, and the Met Office is in no
doubts that climate change is a major
factor. Without climate change, a summer
like 2025 could be expected to happen
every 340 years. But with it factored
in, this year's extreme heat can be
expected twice a decade.
British farmers have always been at the
mercy of the weather, but extreme
conditions are making things tougher.
This exceptionally hot and dry year
means at Moore Farm in Peterbrra they
had to harvest grain a month early. So
the red line is the line of our harvest
from last year. We feel reasonably
fortunate with the season that we've had
uh that we are only 20% down.
Unfortunately, some of our fellow
farming members are up to 50% down in
yield.
[Applause]
The livestock here are primarily
grass-fed, but without rain, the grass
doesn't grow. Like many farmers across
the UK, they've been forced to dip into
winter feed supplies.
>> Come on, girls. They have literally no
grass. We've had no rain, no substantial
rain since February. The main problem is
that we are using our winter stocks of
feed that we've only got 60% of our
winter feed allocation harvested and we
won't get any more. And we're currently
using some of that now. And it's only
the 1st of September.
2025 is officially the hottest summer on
record. We've had four heat waves since
June. It knocks the infamous summer of
1976 out of the UK's top five warmest,
meaning they've now all occurred since
the year 2000. It's always concerning
when we see these kind of records, and
we're seeing them more and more
frequently. So far, thanks to human
activity, we've warmed the planet by
about 1.3° since pre-industrial times.
And under current policies, we're on
track for about 2.6° of warming by the
end of the century. At this garden
center chain, the dry heat means higher
costs, including paying staff to come in
earlier to water the plants.
Going forward in the future, longer,
hotter summers. It is going to be a
problem. Unfortunately, I think the cost
will end up being passed on to the
customer so that the business can keep
running. And it's stressful for the
trees. Leaves are browning and seeds are
dropping early. It could make winter
difficult for the wildlife that usually
relies on them. Carrie Davis, News at
10.
>> The world of boxing is tonight's morning
one of the stars of this 1970s golden
era. Joe Bugnham went the full distance
against Muhammad Ali not once but twice.
He lost both on points but his
prestigious ability saw him hailed a
future champion by the greatest of all
time.
>> He will be the next champ as soon as I
retire.
>> I know he can do it. He's strong. He's
young.
>> Don't stop Joe.
>> You are the greatest next to me.
Well, that was borne out in British,
European, and Commonwealth titles. Joe
Bugner's death was announced today. He
was 75 years old.
The Premier League star Alexander Isach
has been taking his job title rather
literally this summer. The striker has
been on strike. Well, tonight his
refusal to play for Newcastle paid off
to the tune of 125 million. His transfer
to Liverpool is now the most expensive
in British history and caps off a summer
of astronomical spending.
>> Left footed cross hanging in the air.
Murphy is
your beauty.
>> Scoring against Liverpool was a season
highlight for Newcastle striker
Alexander Isac.
>> Alexander Isac
>> at Wembley. But after the summer saga,
which saw the Swedish international
effectively go on strike from his own
club, the Magpies have finally sold him
for a recordbreaking
125 million. And Red's fans are
delighted.
>> I think he's the best striker in the
world at the moment.
>> Does he get a thumbs up from you?
>> Spend a lot on him, but you know, we
finally got him. Well, we're finally
getting them.
>> I'm looking forward to seeing him play
things. Worth all the drama hopefully.
Yeah, it would be brilliant. Bring it
on. Yeah, absolutely. Love it.
>> Who's lost it to Isak.
>> Isak scored 27 goals in 42 appearances
last season to the back of the net.
>> But in the summer, he was left out of a
preseason tour because of a minor thigh
injury. And when Liverpool's first 110
million pound bid was rejected, down
tools, saying promises he could leave
had been broken, something Newcastle
disputed.
>> Aldridge himself sending Liverpool on
their way. But Liverpool legend John
Aldridge says it's always the players
who hold the power.
>> The Isak saga has gone on and on and
around. The player holds all all the
aces. You know, it's a game of cards and
if a player wants to go, the old adage
at Anfield is pierce the door, shut it
behind you.
>> Liverpool have now broken the Premier
League record for the most expensive
player, not once but twice this summer.
But Alexander Isak's departure from
Newcastle United three years before his
contract was due to end has undoubtedly
left fans there feeling sour.
>> And Newcastle United made Isaac
>> what he is
>> Eddie how what he is and he's turned his
back on to cast us aside. It is really
disappointing.
>> I really don't know why he why he's done
this why he's been like this. In total,
Premier League clubs have spent almost3
billion pounds during this transfer
window. Eight broke their own records,
including Liverpool. And the pressure
will now be on for players like EAC to
perform on the pitch. Emu Welch, News at
10, Liverpool.
>> Well, it's not transfers making
headlines in the sport of tennis, but
theft. Bottic provoked uproar when TV
cameras caught him snatching a player's
cap away from a child at the US Open.
People were even more furious when they
learned that he was a millionaire CEO.
Today, he turned to the only option
available to him, a graveling public
apology to the boy, the player, and
pretty much anyone else who would
listen. He admitted the cap snatch had
been a huge mistake.
Well, finally, we are used to hearing
artificial intelligence criticized by
the biggest names in music, but it can
also be used to give people a voice, or
rather a song. People like Lucas Horn,
who suffered a devastating brain injury
while still a teenager. Now he's using
AI to compose and produce music and has
been shortlisted for a global award.
>> All right.
>> I pinch myself every day because this
just can't be true.
I feel like people think I make it up
while I
>> despite being surrounded by faders and
buttons, Lucas didn't need any of this
tech to create his song.
just a computer.
>> Lucas was in a coma when he was 18 after
suffering a brain injury which has
affected his movement and speech. He
wrote about his experiences and put the
lyrics into an AI music tool using text
prompts to create his voice.
>> I want someone male. I want husky voice.
I know I don't have a smooth voice, but
I also kind of want it to be emotional
and to be almost as if my voice fully
>> Cry most days, but
is
>> judges have to pick from 15 tracks which
have been shortlisted for these global
awards. Unknowns who are using AI to be
heard. We never thought about this type
of use case for AI and music tech until
that time. It was like, oh, it's so
cool. You know, you can generate songs,
you can, you know, swap voice and all of
these AI tools. But we never thought
really about how other people like Lucas
are using it.
>> Lucas has entered under the name.
>> And what is BTO?
>> It stands for beat odds. beat the odds,
>> which I think are very fitting
considering a gay structure slim chance
of survival.
>> There are widespread concerns about the
use of AI in music and its impact on
jobs, creativity and copyright, but in
embracing it, new artists are emerging.
Stacy Foster, News at 10, Nottingham.
>> Yeah, fascinating and remarkable stuff.
And that is it for now. Many thanks to
you for watching. Have a good one.
Bye-bye.