Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20240714

Venezuelas Supreme Court has released 22 prisoners, including a high profile judge. Maria afiuni is one of many people the opposition says are political prisoners. She was first arrested ten years ago, and had been sentenced again in march for corruption. The move has been welcomed by the un, which published a highly critical report on thursday accusing president maduros government of widespread human rights abuses against the opposition and minority groups. But maria afiunis brother says his sister still has restrictions on her freedom. Translation she cant speak to the media. She cant use social media. She cant leave the country. She has to present herself every 30 days. The logical thing would be to get rid of all the cautionary measures and respect what the un says, which is complete freedom, but that has not happened. We continue to wait. The un says one thing, the maduro government does another. Theyre never serious about what International Organisations say, so were in the same situation. We continue to wait. The bbcs Guillermo Olmo is following events from caracas. Well, its very hard to say whats the real reason behind what nicolas maduros government does. What we know is that they were celebrating today their independence, and also that the opposition were holding a rally for asking again for the end of nicolas maduros rule. And we also know that this decision made by the venezuelan Supreme Court comes after the release of a report from the United Nations Human Rights Agency that has been a real political blow for the government, because it included a long list of Human Rights Violations for which the authorities would be the ones to blame. Lets get some of the days other news the United Nations has welcomed the power sharing agreement reached in sudan in the early hours of friday. The secretary general, antonio guterres, called on both the military and the civilian opposition to implement the deal fully. Both parties will take turns leading a Sovereign Council until elections are held in three years time. The government in gibraltar says an Iranian Oil Tanker currently detained on its coast can be held for another 1a days. The tanker was seized in an operation by british commandos on monday, after intelligence reports suggested it was carrying oil to syria in violation of European Union sanctions. President trump has blamed the rain and a malfunctioning telepromter for a mistake in his 4july speech. The president was widely mocked for saying the us military took over airports during the american revolution, which was long before air travel existed. He has told reporters the telempromter went kaput, and that it was hard to read because of heavy rain. The us economy created more than 200,000 newjobs injune. The figure is far higher than expected, and the robust growth has eased fears of an economic slowdown prompted by poorjobs data in may. The professional and Business Services sector gave the biggest boost to the jobs numbers. President trump is refusing to back down over his plan to put in a controversial Citizenship Question in the 2020 us census. He has threatened to issue an executive order to get it on the form. The Supreme Court has ruled against including the question, and civil Rights Groups say its inclusion is politically motivated. 0ur correspondent david willis is in washington. We thought this issue was settled, but it is not. It is not, and to give you a bit of background here, the Us Constitution mandates are sensors take place here in the United States every ten years. Now, the next one is due next year, in 2020, and that census helps the government to allocate billions of dollars in federal resources, and it also helps define how areas are drawn up for contesting in the house of representatives. Now, President Trump wants the question inserted into next yea rs trump wants the question inserted into next years census, is this person a citizen of the United States 7 person a citizen of the United States . It is 70 years since that question has been asked in a general senseis question has been asked in a general sense is here, and democrats and some immigrant Rights Groups are up in arms because they say that really posing that question could deter a lot of Illegal Immigrants from taking part in the exercise, which would skew the outcome, and could lead to them losing both congressional state legislative seats and of course those billions of dollars in federal funds that i was talking about. Now, last week, the United States Supreme Court locked a move by the Trump Administration to have that question asked in the 2020 census. President trump now saying that he might use an executive order to basically overrule them. So if he issues that executive order, does he actually have the authority to force that question into the census . Its a very good question, and in actual fa ct, very good question, and in actual fact, a lot of legal scholars are saying that he probably doesnt, for the simple reason that in the Us Constitution it falls to congress to oversee the implementation of a census year, not so much the president himself. So this is clearly destined for some sort of legal protracted legal challenge, given that government lawyers have told a federaljudge that they intend they have been told to basically prepare additional arguments to go back to the us Supreme Court and see if they can get that verdict overturned. I think this could be said to run and run, reged. David, in washington, thank you very much. The tunisian government has banned the use of the niqab in Public Institutions like government offices. It said the decision was based on security reasons. The niqab covers a womans entire face, leaving only the eyes visible. The order comes after three suicide bombings in the capital, tunis, in the space of a week. Ramzan karmali has more. The aftermath of a suicide bombing in tunis, just one of two attacks that rocked the tunisian capital on one day. The bombings resulted in two deaths and several injuries. Earlier this week, i suspect being chased by police designated his suicide vest. Witnesses say he was dressed in womens clothes. It is this Security Threat that has resulted in the Prime Minister banning the niqab from government offices. The niqab is worn by some muslim women as an interpretation of modest dress, and as a symbol of religious faith. There was a mixed response to the order on the streets of tunis today. Translation its for our safety. If someone wears the full veil, you are no longer able to identify them, so it makes sense that it should be forbidden, at least in Public Institutions. Translation i think that the problem lies here. If we start to ta ke problem lies here. If we start to take decisions that limit the freedom of individuals for security reasons, there may be even more serious decisions being taken that limit the freedom of individuals, so theres no reason why the state should prohibit any woman from wearing the veil. Wearing the niqab in state buildings was not allowed up in state buildings was not allowed up until 2011, in state buildings was not allowed up until2011, a in state buildings was not allowed up until 2011, a band that was lifted when the longtime ruler was ousted. Rights groups have urged the government to make sure that the current restriction is just a temporary one. In a Central Region of chile, three mysterious deaths and dozens of Violent Attacks on lesbians have put the Gay Community on alert. An area has now been dubbed a red zone for camionas, who tend to dress in a stereotypically masculine style. The bbcs gender and identity correspondent megha mohan reports. Nicole saavedra was 23 years old. She identified as a camiona, a butch lesbian, and her family believe it was this identity that led to her violent death. Her body was found on this hill, 100 km north west of chiles capital, santiago, in 2016. Police files say there was clear evidence of torture. Her cousin is certain that nicoles sexuality was her killers motivation. Nicoles killer has not been caught. There have been three murders and dozens more attacks in the area. It is now known as the redzone, a no go lesbian neighbourhood. So, of all those attacks that have happened in the last couple of years, since nicoles killing, how many of them have been solved . Police in the fifth region told the bbc that they reject that they havent taken care with these cases, and attacks on camionas in chile is a wider societal responsibility. This troubling pattern may also be extending beyond the borders of the fifth region, to the more liberal capital city. Around a Kitchen Table in santiago, Carolina Torres and her mother show us photos of attacks that put her in a coma for a week. Its almost like theres a second head. Shortly after filming, carolinas attacker was caught, but many others have not been. Erica has set up a private Whatsapp Group where dozens of lesbians alert each other to regions of danger. She says anti gay rhetoric of the new conservative government has led to an increase in hate crimes. Mindful that many attackers remain un caught, some lesbians in chile are creating their own networks of security. Nicole saavedra has become a reminder of the ultimate cost of being a camiona. Stay with us on bbc news. Still to come a 36 Year Campaign to recognise babylon as a World Heritage site finally bears fruit. Central london has been rocked by a series of terrorist attacks. Police say there have been many casualties, and there is growing speculation that alqaeda was responsible. Germany will be the hosts of the 2006 football world cup, and they pipped the favourites, south africa, by a single vote. In south africa, the possibility of losing hadnt even been contemplated, and celebration parties were cancelled. A man entered the palace through a downstairs window and made his way to the queens private bedroom. Then he asked her for a cigarette, and on the pretext of arranging for some to be brought, she summoned a footman on duty, who took the man away. One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. This is bbc news. The latest headlines venezuela has released 22 prisoners, including a high profile judge, after the un accused the government of abuses against the oppostion. President trump may use an executive order to include a controversial question on citizenship in next years census. Government lawyers say theyre still looking for legal grounds for the move. Things are heating up in alaska the us state has just experienced a new record high temperature. The Us Weather Service says 90 degrees fahrenheit, or 32 celsius, was recorded at anchorage airport on independence day, july the fourth. The previous high was around 30 celsius, while the average at this time of the year is just 18. Lets speak to brian brettschneider, whos in anchorage. Hes a climate researcher at the university of alaska fairbanks. Brian, thank you so much for your time. First of all, is this Climate Change . Well, the entirety of alaska has been warming quite a bit in the last number of decades and it is unquestionable we are several degrees warmer and you add a warm air mass on top of a warmer world, and these records are far more likely to occur. These kinds of temperatures that weve seen, is this where we expected to be with unchecked Climate Change, or is this worse or better than you thought it might be . Well, i know, you know, there are are a number of temperatures projections and 50 100 yea rs temperatures projections and 50 100 years in 50 100 years, this kind of temperature was off our radar. We didnt expect anything like this for quite a long time. So its kind of caught everyone off guard and perhaps may be something we should expect to see in decades to come. What did it mean for anchorage and alaska to have these kind of temperatures that are so unusual at this time of year . This far north we just dont tilt for cold sorry, warm temperatures. 0ur houses dont have air conditioning. They are built to keep heat in, not to let it out, so its been very uncomfortable at nights, our houses my house didnt get below 26 celsius at night. Weve also been dealing with wildfire smoke from a nearby forest fire meaning we have to keep our doors and windows closed at night. Its very unpleasant and something we are accustomed to. People, especially the elderly and people with breathing and respiratory issues, many of them are having a difficult time. As a climate researcher, where do you think alaska needs to go from here . Is it a matter of continuing to try and get movement on Climate Change globally or does alaska need to climate proof its state . We really, we attack theirs from two different sides. 0ne we attack theirs from two different sides. One is from the out of state inside and the mitigation side, but also from the policy side to work to reduce our Carbon Emissions here in anchorage. We have a Climate Action plan that we have implemented, other cities around the state are doing that as well. We have acute community issues, they are literally being washed into the ocean as permafrost melts and see frost is no longer there. So this is a 2 pronged approach on how do we deal with it in the short term verse how do we deal with it in the long term and we are progress on both sides. How alarming do you find these temperatures personally when you wa ke temperatures personally when you wake up in the morning and its an exceedingly hot day . Its very difficult. You know we have been having a hard time sleeping at night, the kids are cranky, everyones upset. Yesterday was a holiday, most places were closed so there werent many places to go for relief. Its been a challenge, sleeping in particular, our house has been very warm, as high as 27 28 celsius inside the house, very uncomfortable. We are managing, but you know, these are times where we are we are not excited about this and hopefully is not a harbinger of things to come in future. But u nfortu nately, things to come in future. But unfortunately, it probably will be. Brian brettschneider, thank you for talking us through those heightened temperatures in alaska. The former british Prime Minister, sirjohn major has warned that the next leader of the uk will be chosen by people who have flooded into the conservative party in recent months in order to make it take a firm view on brexit. But he warned that a general election at this time would cause chaos in politics. He was speaking to Stephen Sackur on the Bbcs Hardtalk programme. Its not only a narrow electorate in that sense, but a very large part of that sense, but a very large part of that electorate appeared to have joined the conservative party within recent months or the last year. Now i have not seen any great successes about a conservative party that should have created a flood of members coming into it over the last year. I wish i had. Members coming into it over the last year. Iwish i had. I really members coming into it over the last year. I wish i had. I really wish i had, but i havent. So you have to ask why these members coming in . They certainly arent lifelong conservatives, they are people who have flooded into the party recently and from all one can gather, they have flooded into it because they wish to take a view on brexit. Many people i suspect, i cannot know this but i suspect, have their boots in the conservative party but have the ha rd the conservative party but have the hard in brexit or the uk. That is a very odd way to choose the next leader of the conservative party. they are infiltrators, one can only assume you believe whatever happens in the leadership election, the only genuine way to put this before the people is to go for a general election before brexit happens . No, i dont think a general election would be the right way it offers several reasons, and for practical reasons for the country. We had a general election we wouldnt get what i think we would need, a government with a clear majority that and determine its policy, argue it in parliament and be able to carried out. If we had a general election, we would get a very Fragmented Parliament indeed with some very curious people being elected and a government in an even wea ker elected and a government in an even weaker position than this government is at the present time because of its lack of majority. And that is not in anyones interest and not in the interests of Good Government in the interests of Good Government in the united kingdom. The general election would be a really bad idea from the point of view of everyone in the country. A former british Prime Minister there. And you can see the rest of that interview in the Bbcs Hardtalk programme over the weekend. Sundays womens World Cup Final will see the defending champions the usa up against the current european champions the netherlands. Such has been the success of this years tournament, that fifa is suggesting the next world cup in 2023 should be expanded to 32 teams. Fifa also wants significant progress to be made in equalising prize money between the mens and the womens game. We have already more than doubled the prize money for the womens world cup this year, going from 15 to 50 billion, and im very optimistic about that and moving ahead for the next world cup, that we could double it for the next world cup, very confident that we can achieve the necessary figures in order to do that million. Can achieve the necessary figures in order to do that million. Lets go to some tennis. Coco gauffs wimbledon journey goes on the 15 year old has made it to the fourth round, she defeated Polona Hercog in three sets, saving two match points before fighting back to win the next two sets. It comes after her win earlier this week against five time champion Venus Williams. She now plays former world number one, simona halep of romania, for a place in the last eight. John watson has more. There can be no doubt that she has been one of the stories of the tournament so far, and that story continues as coco gauff books her place in the fourth round at wimbledon, the furthest she has ever been at a grand slam. It was a performance beyond her years, we know her achievements already, knocking out Venus Williams in the opening round, magdalena rybarikova, a former wimbledon semifinalist, no less, in the second round, and she has overcome Polona Hercog here today in quite dramatic circumstances, when you consider she dropped the first set, she had to save two points in this match before managing to claw her way back into the match, salvaging the second set before closing it out over three sets. A huge amount of support on centre court where she was playing for the first time, and you can only imagine that that support is going to grow, because she really has been one of the standout performers so far, a grand slam champion in the making and you wonder perhaps, a future world number one as well. Could her first grand slam title come here at wimbledon at the tender age of 15 . You wonder. We were waiting to see Serena Williams and andy murray in action today, they were due to begin their doubles partnership in the mixed doubles, that has been pushed back until saturday, but no doubt what the talk of the town is here at wimbledon on day five of these championships coco gauff, the 15 year old, into the fourth round. John watson. The ancient mesopotamian city of babylon has been declared a World Heritage site. There have been campaigns for over 1 0 there have been campaigns for over a0 yea rs there have been campaigns for over a0 years to have it added to the prestigious list. Unesco warns ba bylon prestigious list. Unesco warns babylon is in an extremely vulnerable condition and needs urgent conservation work. Tim allman has more. A000 years old, have or take, once home to the mythic Hanging Gardens of ba bylo n, home to the mythic Hanging Gardens of babylon, one of the seven wonders of babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Its almost a surprise display steeped in history wasnt already on unesco s list. Translation babylon is a symbol of identity for the iraqis, so the city is considered part of the history of iraq, whether on the architectural or scientific aspects. But babylon has suffered in recent years. First, from the construction of a palace by saddam hussein, then it being used asa saddam hussein, then it being used as a base for us troops. The Iraqi Government has promised millions of dollars to safeguard the site. Translation when i come to babylon and see the civilisation and ruins here, i feel and see the civilisation and ruins here, ifeel proud and see the civilisation and ruins here, i feel proud that my ancestors built this. Therefore, its our duty to preserve it. World heritage status is meant to protect places or landmarks that are considered to be important for the whole of humanity. Many here will say that babylon, with its legacy and art, culture and religion, is finally being given the recognition it deserves. Tim allman, bbc news. Before you go, letsjust before you go, lets just show you these pictures. A statue of the american first lady, melania trump, has been unveiled outside her slovenian hometown. Commissioned by american artist brad downey and carved from a treetrunk by a local sculptor, the statue has prompted very mixed reviews. We saw the peak in the heat yesterday, and the top temperature, 28 celsius, 82 fahrenheit, compared with the cooler, cloudier 16, thats 61 fahrenheit further north. That cooler, cloudier air is heading southwards, its on a weather front that through the night has been meandering very slowly south and bringing rain to northern ireland, Northern England, heading towards north wales and the wash by the time we get to dawn. The warm air uncomfortable for sleeping but it will feel much fresher by morning further north. That fresher air is on a cold weatherfront and is heading southwards, so i think it will introduce more cloud across england and wales during the course of saturday, and in particular today, so it will feel cooler as a result. That cold weather front is also being followed by a north westerly breeze which is never a warm direction. But if you are sheltered from the breeze in the sunshine that follows across scotland, Northern England and northern ireland, it will feel quite pleasant. This weather front will take much of the day to meander across wales, the midlands and east anglia down into the south east. Introducing cloudy skies and even the odd splash of rain, so if you are heading to wimbledon, it does look cooler, more cloudy, still think there could be some sunshine getting through that cloud, but i would not like to rule out a shower later in the afternoon, early evening because that weather front could give a few sharp splashes of rain here and there not for all but what it does do is dampen the heat. So the 28 we saw on friday not repeated, still warm across the south coast but for most of us, it is cooler temperatures, back down to what they should be, with some lovely sunshine coming down behind that weather front, it does not mean the temperatures are lower, but it is just as strong. A few showers across the north and north east of scotland, they will continue through the evening and overnight, blowing further southwards, blowing that fresher air into the far south of england, so it looks like a fresher night on the whole, cooler night, even further south, just a little bit of warmth maintained in the towns and cities. But it could be that on sunday we still have that weather front dragging its heels across southern parts of england, still giving the odd shower and slow to clear. A little more cloud in eastern parts of england and scotland with the odd shower around but again some dry, bright weather for the majority, the best of the sunshine in south west scotland in north west england, further south as well, feeling fresher, temperatures down to where they should be, and that is maintained into next week though it looks more unsettled further north. More on the website. This is bbc news, im reged ahmad. The headlines venezuelas Supreme Court has released 22 people from prison, including a high profile judge, after the un said the country uses a campaign of fear to suppress opposition. President trump is threatening to use executive powers to count the number of us citizens in the population census. The Supreme Court has ruled against the practice, and the census forms are already being printed without the question. The american state of alaska, which lies partly in the arctic circle, has recorded its highest ever temperature of 32 degrees celsius. Cori gauff is through to the second week of wimbledon. The 15 year old american beat slovenias Polona Hercog in a thrilling contest, saving two match points along the way