tactic they have used liking, a key tactic they have used throughout is trying to delay this process. throughout is trying to delay this rocess. �* t, ~ ~' throughout is trying to delay this rocess. 1, , ~ , l, throughout is trying to delay this rocess. , l, , process. back with you shortly, thank yom _ around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

the president of ecuador has won a referendum on introducing tougher security, to counter a surge in violence by drugs gangs. daniel noboa says his government now has more tools to fight crime. the measures include allowing the military to patrol the streets, and the imposition of harsher jail sentences. the country now has the highest murder rate in latin america as the influence of powerful drug cartels has grown. ione wells sent this report from the capital, quito. ecuador�*s capital, quito, is bursting with life. but among the songs and smiles, clues that this is now the continent's most violent country. the bloodshed at this youth centre is just a sport. but on the streets, many young people are losing their lives at the hands of violent drug cartels.

carmen's brother was killed by a gang member who wanted money when he wasjust 19. translation: the gang i threatened us at our house, throwing stones at us because the murder occurred next to my son. they said if the gang member goes to the prison, my son would be the next person to die. i think militarising the country is not the solution. instead of investing that, they should invest in the youth. a cocaine dealer known as el gato illustrates her point. translation: | started selling - and smoking when i was 14 years old. we went through financial problems. my mother was always working and never there for me. i was alone in the house, crying and screaming for my mum. then i met my friends — bad friends — who introduced me to drugs. i believe that the country's economic crisis is what led to so much crime.

surprisingly, he backed more security measures, saying he wanted a way out of this life and addiction. this vote was called in response to scenes like these — armed men holding a tv station hostage, prison riots, mass killings and kidnappings. this led to a state of emergency, where the military were brought in to fight gangs. the government hopes the results gives it a mandate for this to continue. translation: we need security. get rid of narco trafficking and criminality to bring peace to this country. i'm voting no because militarising ecuador won't be beneficial for ecuadorians. for example, during the protests, they brought out the military and that wasn't against narco traffickers, but against the people. this vote to increase police and military powers has had a mixed reaction here. those who have been victims of police brutality tell me they worry it could lead to more human rights abuses. but some of those who voted yes told me they think it could give them back another right — the right to go about their daily

lives without a constant fear of violence. most people agree on one thing — they all want this nation to go back to being the relatively peaceful haven it once was, even if many think that might take a miracle. ione wells, bbc news in quito. turning to mexico now — in recent years its economy has experienced a major uptick in capital investment, largely due to something known as nearshoring. amid the trade war between china and the us, scores of chinese companies have been taking advantage of conditions in northern mexico to get around us sanctions on chinese goods by making those same products in mexico instead. at the same time, some big us firms have relocated from asia to mexico. so what are the pros and cons? will grant reports from the northern city of monterrey. the sofas of this company are part of a password and mixing business.

nearshoring. this is one of scores of chinese companies relocating to industrial parks in northern mexico to bring production closer to the us market. as well as saving on shipping, the final product is considered 100% mexican. they avoid tariffs and sanctions imposed on china amid a worsening trade war with the us. the general manager says the move to mexico makes economic and logistical sense. they already employ a50 people and have ambitious plans to expand. translation: we ambitious plans to expand. translation:— ambitious plans to expand. translation: ~ ., , ., , ambitious plans to expand. translation: ~ ., , ., translation: we hope to triple or even quadruple _ translation: we hope to triple or even quadruple production. - translation: we hope to triple or even quadruple production. the - even quadruple production. the intention here in mexico is to bring our production levels up to that of our production levels up to that of our factories our production levels up to that of ourfactories in our production levels up to that of our factories in vietnam.- our production levels up to that of our factories in vietnam. whether it is furniture. — our factories in vietnam. whether it is furniture, t-shirts _ our factories in vietnam. whether it is furniture, t-shirts or _ our factories in vietnam. whether it is furniture, t-shirts or car - our factories in vietnam. whether it is furniture, t-shirts or car parts, i is furniture, t—shirts or car parts, the proximity to the us and in the skilled labour force here the proximity to the us and in the skilled labourforce here makes mexico an attractive prospect to chinese companies. and as more chinese companies. and as more chinese firms reach that same conclusion and set up factories here, it has been an important shot

in the arm to the mexican economy. particularly post the covid pandemic. this info factory is located inside a chinese mexico industrial park in the city of monterrey. demand for plots in sky—high with every available space already sold. little wonder many economists say china's interest in mexico is no passing fad. the cuestion mexico is no passing fad. the question is — mexico is no passing fad. the question is not _ mexico is no passing fad. the question is not af _ mexico is no passing fad. tue: question is not af this mexico is no passing fad. the: question is not af this trend mexico is no passing fad. "the: question is not af this trend will continue but rather how much of that trend can take advantage of because just as mexico is thinking and we're having this conversation, i am sure that some people are having the same discussion in colombia, vietnam, costa rica. discussion in colombia, vietnam, costa rica-— costa rica. and then the nearshoring, _ costa rica. and then the nearshoring, us - costa rica. and then the nearshoring, us firms i costa rica. and then the i nearshoring, us firms like costa rica. and then the - nearshoring, us firms like tesla have announced plans to set up in mexico also, helping the company replace china as the main trading partner. the next tesla gig factory will be in mexico near monterey. it is a significant change but some urge caution over being drawn into

the mighty political struggle. the old rich guy. _ the mighty political struggle. the: old rich guy, the the mighty political struggle. tt9 old rich guy, the us, is having problems with the new rich guy in town, china. mexico does not have also the current administration, we don't have a strategy vis—a—vis china and how to deal into this new triangular relationship.— triangular relationship. whether a back door to _ triangular relationship. whether a back door to the _ triangular relationship. whether a back door to the us _ triangular relationship. whether a back door to the us are _ triangular relationship. whether a back door to the us are part - triangular relationship. whether a back door to the us are part of. triangular relationship. whether a back door to the us are part of a l back door to the us are part of a coarsely war between superpowers, nearshoring is here to stay, as mexico must be pragmatic if it is to reap the long—term benefits of these new often hostile global trade arrangement. taylor's swift latest album the tortured poets department has broken the record for spotify�*s most streamed in a day. the album dropped last week and now a south london pub — named in the album — has had to turn away customers after being swarmed by fans of the artist. fans quickly spotted that track 17 — the black dog — is named after the freehouse in vauxhall. earlier, i spoke to lily bottomley, who is events

manager at the black dog — about how the past few days have been at the pub. it's been pretty crazy, but amazing, like, so overwhelmingly positive. everybody�*s been so lovely. the swifties have been amazing. what sort of things have they been after? obviously endless photos. endless photos. lots of questions about which ex attends frequently. i don't think we can speak too much on it, so i'll leave it a mystery. we've got cocktails. taylor swift cocktails. we've got burgers. taylor swift burgers. and we're just loving it. it's been so fun. we're a very cosy neighbourhood pub, so all of the attention has been pretty overwhelming. but we can't be happier. i'm sure. and lily, did you actually see or speak to taylor when she used to come into the pub? i couldn't possibly say. we'd love to have her back soon. 0k. you've just dropped it in there that you would like to have her back. so obviously she's been in. do you think one of the reasons that she loves coming to a london pub is that sense

of anonymity that perhaps she gets here that she might not get elsewhere? i think so. the black dog is a beautiful neighbourhood pub. it's really small and really cosy. so i can imagine kind of the neighbourhood feel, the community, would appeal to her obviously being as famous as she is, maybe a nice break. and what do you think of the new album? i think it's fabulous. have you had it on repeat over and over again in the pub? that's not even a question. like, i've been... i've been listening to it non—stop. we've had it nonstop on the pub. we've had singalongs from fans. it's been amazing. back to new york now, because the court is in session, donald trump has arrived and is in court for a pivotal phase today, the defence and prosecution delivering their opening statements to remind you, donald trump accused of trying to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to pornography star stormy daniels

before he won the 2016 election. caught in session, we have a team there for you, and we will bring you all the updates throughout the day. many of us enjoyed sunny weather best of the sunshine will be a more sheltered western areas, high pressure sitting out in the west of the uk, that is bringing northerly wind across the country, feeding on thick cloud of the north sea. coolly moving southwards across the country with the milder air kept at bay towards the south. best of any

brightness towards the south—east, and western scotland, northern ireland doing pretty well. top temperature 16 in glasgow, otherwise chilly for most, particularly under the cloud and close to the north sea coast. tonight, staying cloudy, rain pushing its way southwards. clearly spells towards the north and west, the lowest temperatures here, touch of frost in places, generally 3—6 c with thicker cloud. staying breezy closed north sea coast queue. tuesday, high—pressure sticking out on the west, this weather front bringing thicker cloud with spots of rain to eastern and southern parts. otherwise elsewhere, further north—west more sunshine around, pretty pleasant certainly for the central belt of scotland, glasgow probably seen the highest of the temperatures, 16—17. 6—9 c among naughty cows, unsure breeze, 11

celsius in the capital with thicker cloud, if you spot a rain. wednesday largely dry, more cloudy in the mix, thickest of it towards northern and eastern areas where they could be the odd shower. dryer with the best of the brightness further west. temperatures in glasgow around 13 or 1a celsius, still chilly elsewhere for this time in april. little change as we push towards the end of the week, in between weather systems, increasing chance of showers, low pressure is getting past the west and south—west, bringing rain or showers to the far south—west. looks like it will stay a little bit more unsettled as we head into the weekend, a bit warmer in the south.

live from london, this is bbc news. from the campaign trail to the courtroom, donald trump has arrived at the courthouse, where his criminal trial will hear opening statements. this is a joe biden trial. this is done as election interference. everybody knows it. i am here instead of being able to be in pennsylvania and georgia and lots of other places campaigning. iam in i am in new york, staying across the very latest in the trial. prime minister rishi sunak says the first flight carrying asylum seekers to rwanda will leave in the next three months. and the news presenter

huw edwards announces he's left the bbc, on medical advice. hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. we will start with our main story. let's go straight to new york, the trial of donald trump. we will go through all the details. this is a significant day in the trial because we are about to hear the opening arguments from both the prosecution and the defence. they are in court, it is in session right now, some details being sorted out. in the last 30 minutes, donald trump entered that area we are watching, and as he normally does gave a brief statement to the press. that's listen. i say before we begin. these are all biden trials.

this is done as election interference. everybody knows it.