Transcripts For BBCNEWS Victoria Derbyshire 20240713

The 19 year old is now on trial herself. Well talk live to her lawyer. And a passenger on a cruise ship from hell tells us about riots on board, that he felt like a hostage and it was the Worst Customer Service hes ever experienced. Well talk to passengers who say there was open rebellion onboard the norwegian spirit. Crowd shouts. London, london take us back lets go back, we dont want to be on the ship you want off the ship take us to london hello. Welcome to the programme. Were live until 11 this morning. Do you know anyone on that cruise ship . We will speak to one american passenger who managed to get off that ship yesterday. The man we are going to talk to said he felt trapped, like a hostage. If you know of anybody who is still on that ship because it is not due to dock into southampton until friday, then please get in touch. Let me know what has happened, victoria bbc. Co. Uk. First, annita has the news. Mps will be called to parliament for a special saturday sitting in a decisive day for the future of brexit. Parliament will meet on 19 october after a crunch eu summit seen as the last chance for the uk and eu to agree a deal ahead of the 31st of october deadline. It comes as irelands Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says it will be very difficult for the uk and the eu to reach a Brexit Agreement before the deadline. Mr varadkar told the irish broadcaster rte that big gaps remain between the two sides. The taoiseach and the Prime Minister are expected to meet for further brexit talks later this week. In the past half hour its been announced that all 555 thomas cook stores will be bought by independent agent hays travel, in a move which could save 2,500 jobs. Hays has already recruited hundreds of former thomas cook staff, following its collapse last month, and has offered employment to more of the airlines personnel. The white house has said it will not co operate with impeachment proceedings against president trump. The inquiry is looking into claims that mr trump put pressure on ukraine to investigate his potential rival for the presidency, joe biden. In a letter to senior democrats, a white house lawyer called the proceedings unconstitutional. The foreign secretary is expected to meet the family of harry dunn, the 19 year old who was killed in a motorbike crash in august. Dominic raab has urged the United States to do the right thing by the teenagers family. Anne sacoolas, the wife of a diplomat, is believed to have been the driver of the vehicle that hit harry outside a us air base in northamptonshire, but fled to the us with diplomatic immunity. Some of the uks largest fast food chains have been selling meat from animals fed on soya beans linked to brazils forest fires, according to campaigners. Greenpeace says it wants the Companies Including burger king, kfc, mcdonalds and nandos, to stop using the ingredient in their supply chains until the environment is better protected. But brazils environment minister has told this programme that any boycott could make the situation worse. A british woman who says she was gang raped in cyprus has revealed exclusively to this programme several phone messages which she says show she was coerced by police into retracting the allegations. The 19 year old claims she was the victim of an ordeal involving a group of israeli men who she had met earlier on the holiday. The men were released and flew back to israel, while she was imprisoned accused of making a false statement, and is now facing a trial. And in his first live tv interview, well be speaking to one of the teenagers legal team in the next hour. Stay with us for that. The Brexit Campaign group leave. Eu has apologised for a tweet it posted yesterday which lashed out at the german chancellor Angela Merkel. The group posted this image following reports of a heated phone call between mrs merkel and Boris Johnson over brexit negotiations. Leave. Eu spokesman andy wigmore apologised unreservedly and group chair arron banks said it had gone too far with the image. Ben stokes wife clare has denied allegations the couple had a physical altercation at an awards ceremony earlier this month. Pictures published yesterday appear to show the england player with his hand around her throat. But taking to twitter, clare stokes described the allegations as nonsense, and posted a photo of her squishing her husbands face, saying its how the couple show affection. The humpback whale spotted swimming in the river thames earlier this week has died. The animal was first seen near the qe2 bridge at dartford on sunday, but was spotted lying motionless on mudflats yesterday. Experts think it may have starved to death. A single Ticket Holder living here in the uk has become the countrys richest ever lottery winner, after scooping last nights £170 million euromillions jackpot. The Ticket Holder is yet to be named, but they are now wealthier than the likes of sir tom jones and ed sheeran. What would you spend that on . Thats a summary what would you spend that on . Thats a summary of the main news. Idid buy i did buy a ticket. I thought it could be me but it isnt, i havent had an e mail overnight. How can eating a burger in this country be related to this . Some of britains biggest fast food chains including burger king, kfc, mcdonalds and nandos are selling meat from animals fed in part on soya beans. Why does that matter . Because a third of britains soya beans come from brazil, where forest fires are being lit to clear areas to grow them deforestation. Millions of pounds of the crop grown in the amazon and serrardo regions is shipped to the uk every month. Greenpeace is now calling on retailers to stop using brazilian soya in their supply chains until the amazon and other forests are better protected. But in an exclusive interview brazils controversial environment minister has told us a boycott would just make the situation worse. Heresjim reeds report. This year fires have swept across brazil. Some of the worst in nearly a decade. These forests are thousands of miles away. So why are firms in this country getting blamed . Have you seen what weve done to the building . Would you like a flyer, find out a bit more . No, thank you. It comes down to one crop, little known, but crucial to brazils economy and our everyday lives. This is a raw soya bean. Its really versatile and can go into anything from tofu to soya milk. Around 2. 5 Million Tonnes of these are imported into the uk each year. Much of that goes into animal feed, so helping produce the beef, chicken and even fish that millions of us eat. Environmental campaigners say many of the fires in brazil this year were lit to clear land for raising cattle and growing soya. There have been 150,000 fires in 2019, up sharply compared with last year, but well below the level at the start of the decade. In 2006, restrictions were agreed on new soya farms in the amazon rainforest, though the law is not always followed. Campaigners say thats pushed much of the problem south to the cerrado a vast, tropical savannah where the habitat is less well protected and its easier to cut down forests legally. So, are you. . Is this. . The climate scientist, carlos nobre, was one of the first to warn about deforestation 30 years ago. So what, if anything, has all this got to do with our burgers and chicken wings . It all comes down to complex supply chains. British retailers might buy meat reared here in the uk. That meat is often, though not always, fed on a diet that includes soya. These pictures, shot by greenpeace, show a huge container ship full of brazilian soya arriving in liverpool this summer. Its very hard to say how much of this, if any, came from deforested land. Weve seen the results of a satellite monitoring project thats just looked into 12 cases of suspected deforestation. In just one example, it said 800 hectares of wooded savannah were cleared on a single farm in the cerrado this spring, and fires were detected in august. The latest trade data shows that 7,000 tonnes of soya beans were shipped from the same municipality to the uk in 2017. So from your point of view, what needs to be done . Theres talk of just stopping deforestation completely in these regions. Would you like a flyer . In this country, environmental groups have been pressuring retailers and fast food chains to do much more. Burger king, in particular, has been targeted after pledging to end deforestation in its supply chain by 2030 a target criticised by scientists as embarrassingly weak. What most people dont know is that the food that we eat in the uk and the goods that we buy here directly contribute to deforestation globally. So a key issue is meat and we hear an awful lot about how meats a big driver of deforestation. Most people think of that as being beef, but its chicken in the uk, because that chicken is fed on soy imported from brazil, where soy is a big driver of forest destruction. Youve also heard a lot about palm oil as well thats a big problem, too. So weve got a big responsibility in the uk to act and to hold Companies Like burger king to account for their role in Global Forest destruction. Burger king said it has now written to all its meat suppliers to remind them of its policy of not accepting products raised on former rainforest land. It says its beef suppliers in the uk only use soya as a minor food additive. A spokeswoman added. The other target for campaigners is political. Critics say its the brazilian governments policies that have fuelled the rise in fires this year. Far right president Jair Bolsonaro, a Climate Change sceptic, has cut funding for Environmental Protection and sacked the head of the agency which monitors deforestation. Booing. And this was the reception for brazils environment minister, ricardo salles, at a recent un climate conference. All chant out, salles 0ut, salles a visit to europe this month was no more friendly, with protests from berlin to london. He told this programme the brazilian government is now working to tackle the problem. Can i begin by asking about my daughter . Shes eight years old. Shes doing a project at school at the moment about brazil. What guarantees can you give her that the amazon and other parts of the country will be properly protected . Well, the same that i give to my kids, too, that were doing as much as we can, undertaking all the measures that are possible. But we need to have a more specific strategy in order to bring the Economic Development to those poor people who live in forests, not only in brazil but forests worldwide. But some of the language that you and your government have used, doesnt it send a sort of tacit signal out to companies, to individualfarmers, that its ok to expand . That its ok to set these fires . Its not ok to set fires on an illegal basis, not ok to expand on an illegal basis. As we have in developed countries in europe, in the United States, in otherjurisdictions, we have due process of law, we do have legislation, we do have an appropriate way to do things. I wonder how you personally respond to some of the things that are being said about you. Youve just come from berlin, where you were being called a climate criminal by one group. Here, there are protests in london as well. Does that affect you personally . Well, we know that theres all this left wing and very eco extremists. They do these stupid things and go against. But some of these are just normal people that are concerned about whats going on. No, normal people dont use this language and dont go to this unreal or inappropriate language or positions. So we should just dismiss the protests . No, real people or people who are responsible and have all these attitudes, they dont do this extremeness. So were not concerned about this extremeness. Some environmental groups greenpeace, for example are calling for big british companies, european companies, to stop buying soya from brazil. Is there a risk there, for you, that there could be a backlash and that could hurt Economic Growth in your country . What we need to bear in mind is you have fire problems, seasonal problems in many different places of the world. We need the Economic Development. Its a necessary sustainable Economic Development, its necessary. Otherwise, there are no means to take care of our environment. And boycotts, or behaviours like this, will only make things even worse. The question is can you have that Economic Growth without more fires and more deforestation . Across the amazon and the cerrado, the dry or fire season is about to come to an end. Its what happens next year in 2020 and beyond that now matters. Lets speak to sarah schenker, an activist and advocacy officer of survival, a Global Movement for tribal peoples. She spends a lot of time in brazil. Elspeth humm a vegan chef who lives in bristol. And paul tomkins a dairy farmer who feeds his cattle soya feed and says boycotting isnt the answer. Welcome to all of you and thank you for coming on the programme. Forest fires are lit to clear. Sarah, forest fires are lit to grow soya to feed to chickens we end up eating us up feed to chickens we end up eating us up should we simply stop buying this stuff . We have a response ability to Push Companies in the uk and elsewhere to stop buying products from agribusiness in brazil until we can guarantee that it is not destroying the environment and also Indigenous Peoples rights. In brazil there are roughly 305 Indigenous Peoples, including around 100 uncontacted tribes, who are among the most Vulnerable People on the planet and they depend com pletely the planet and they depend completely on that land for survival and that land is being destroyed in the name of agribusiness, facilitated by the government of Jair Bolsonaro and the environment minister we saw. When you say their livelihoods are being destroyed, give me specifics. What is actually happening to them as a result of forest fires and deforestation. The forest fires and deforestation. The forest isnt being completely devastated. The forest is being com pletely devastated. The forest is being completely devastated. When you go to the border with paraguay, uc kilometres of soya, sugar cane, and the Indigenous People are living in tiny reserves where they have high rates of disease and malnutrition, and the effects of pesticide being sprayed next to them. And one of the highest rates of suicide in the world as well because of the theft of their land. Thats catastrophic and thats just one example of many. Paul, your cows are fed on soya from brazil. Will you stop buying this stuff . Like my cows, i also wash my hairand stuff . Like my cows, i also wash my hair and have stuff . Like my cows, i also wash my hairand have a stuff . Like my cows, i also wash my hair and have a shave sometimes. Both of those products also use oil from soya, which is untraceable. This is the problem, its knowing where the product comes from. So you are saying you dont know if the soya feed for your cows comes from brazil, so it lets you off . No. What ican brazil, so it lets you off . No. What i can say is that the soya i use on my farm is sustainably sourced. The uk government has been at the forefront of this topic in convening a roundtable Stakeholder Group of which i as it dairy farmer representative of the National Farmers union, and they are challenged with ensuring all soya coming into the uk is sustainably sourced. Where has it come from then . Soya can be grown all around then . Soya can be grown all around the world. It doesnt have to be grown in tropical regions. There is even a small Scale Production here in the uk. The soya plant itself is an extremely productive way of producing protein which can in turn be used in a huge variety of products. The plant itself is not the problem. The problem is how it is sustainably grown. And you dont technologist that what is going on in parts of the amazon is not sustainable. Absolutely, in a previous life i rescued orangutans from indonesia and sumatra. I have looked after orphaned orangutans myself. It is a topic close to my heart. What i dont want to see is broad stroke banning processes which really wont deliver the results that we all want to see, which is this to stop happening. That we all want to see, which is this to stop happeningm that we all want to see, which is this to stop happening. If you banned it in the amazon and cerrado it would stop it happening. The desire for the soya plant would still exist and it would probably just move the problem elsewhere in the world. Is that true . Given the situation in brazil at the moment is so situation in brazil at the moment is so extreme, it is a genocide of Indigenous Peoples. Thats not a problem of the future, its happening right now. Given also what you have said, that it is impossible to trace exactly where soya has come from, the only answer at the moment is to not buy products from big agribusiness in brazil until it can be guaranteed that indigenous rights will be upheld because they are the best guardians of their land. That isa best guardians of their land. That is a message to the fast food outlets and big chains. As individual consumers who are watching this programme right now, they cant. Watching this programme right now, they cant. It not down to them whether they buy stuff from big agribusiness in brazil. Exactly. And Indigenous Peoples are calling for allies around the world to stop they have asked us to do this. They are asking for allies around the world to Push Companies, supermarkets and fast food chains, not to source from brazil. Or people could stop eating the meat. As individuals we can stop supporting companies who actively buy from non sustainable soya farms. The issue with the plant we use is that the product i feed my cows is the soya husk, in which the soya bean is contained to stop i am using the waste product. The oil is used in the cosmetics that i unfortunately wear at the moment. We are using a waste product in the agricultural sector. Also, my real concern agricultural sector. Also, my real concern with this is that although we could have a ban here in the uk, i would have to look for an alternative source of protein for my cows, which is likely to cost me more. The issue is. So there are alternatives, like what . Rapeseed oil is one. Would that cost you a lot more . My margins are very tight. It would cost me more to use an alternative product. From next month we know we have tariff schedules coming this way that will allow products to come in from all around the world, other Dairy Products from all around the world, where they are free to use this product, which could undercut me. And ultimately lead you to go out of business. Simple ban for us would lower our production capability of meat and dairy in the uk and export our conscience overseas. | dairy in the uk and export our conscience overseas. I think picking up conscience overseas. I think picking up on what the environment minister said in the film earlier, he said a boycott would only make things worse, but make things worse for who is what i would ask. He is talking about big business. For the People Living in the forest, it is crucial that we dont support this industry until their lives can be respected. I have a couple of quotes that i would like to read out, from Indigenous People in brazil. 0ne person says that the brazilian government with its genocidal and racist policies want to kill us all. They want to take our land to produce soya, sugar cane and biofuel. They want to extract gold from the land and say we are an obstacle. There is an idea that Indigenous Peoples are primitive and backwards, as minister salles has said repeatedly, which is completely untrue and a way for him and his collea g u es untrue and a way for him and his colleagues to steal their land. Do you think british consumers, people going to fast food chains, are we fuelling the production of soya . Yes, absolutely. We have to take responsibility as individuals. Its up responsibility as individuals. Its up to us to educate ourselves and understand where exactly our food comes from. If we choose to eat meat, we need to know what has been used to feed it. Our money fuels and gives money to the big corporations. Are you saying to stop going to those places, stop eating meat, reduce your consumption . those places, stop eating meat, reduce your consumption . I would say stop going to those places will stop my personal point of use to eating meat. I was happy to use the make up here today which is likely to have soya oil is used. The cosmetic industry is a key driver of soya usage. Is that a fair point, i dont know that. Is this is not just usage. Is that a fair point, i dont know that. Is this is notjust a meat or not meet issue. Its an issue sarah has highlighted very well for stop its a really big concern for farmers as well as wider society. We want to see sustainably used soya coming into the uk. We are objectively working towards that and there are retailers in the uk working with farmers right now to reduce soya usage in dairy herds to a minimum, to zero, and to ensure what we are importing is sustainably sourced. We could talk for much longer but we have to live there. There are targets from some companies for 2013 which some say its pathetic. Thank you all for coming in, really interesting. For 2030. Mps are to be called to a special sitting of parliament a week on saturday during which their approval for any last minute brexit deal will be sought. If no such agreement has been reached, borisjohnson is expected to lay out plans to avoid a further delay to departing the eu, although mps opposed to brexit will seek to ensure he applies for an extension. Norman smith is in westminster. We have a lot to talk about, but lets talk about leave. Eu who have apologised for a tweet yesterday. Lets talk about leave. Eu who have apologised for a tweet yesterdaym was a mocked up photograph showing Angela Merkel, the german chancellor, and the strapline was, we didnt win two world wars to be pushed around by a kraut, referring to an acrimonious phone conversation yesterday between borisjohnson and Angela Merkel. That mocked up photograph has caused outrage across all sides at westminster. Michael gove condemned it in the house of commons. The reason is that harking back to old wartime stereotypes. The photograph also has Angela Merkel almost with her arm raised, almost as if in an old style nazi salute. The tone and language, the reference to Angela Merkel as a kraut, again, that wartime terminology. So much so that wartime terminology. So much so that leave. Eu, which that wartime terminology. So much so that leave. Eu, which is closely tied to nigel farage and is fronted by arron banks, the man who funds it, they have now pulled it and apologised and accepted it is inappropriate. But you wonder how much all this sort of rhetoric and heatin much all this sort of rhetoric and heat in the whole Brexit Debate is really doing in terms of our future relations with countries on the continent. Lets talk about what chance there is for borisjohnsons proposal to be converted into some kind of deal in the next few days. Proposal to be converted into some kind of deal in the next few dayslj think the honest answer is that most people are now profoundly pessimistic, not just people are now profoundly pessimistic, notjust here but on the continent as well. Notjust because we have kind of run out of time but we are not even close. The difficulty is that its not really any longerjust a difficulty is that its not really any longer just a sort difficulty is that its not really any longerjust a sort of technical discussion about the backstop, about what border controls we might have where we do those sorts of checks, whether we have the necessary Smart Technology for stop and actually its much bigger than that. It has become an argument almost about identity and sovereignty in the sense that number ten say they believe that people in europe havent really, even now, come round to accepting brexit and the fact we are leaving. And if we are leaving, say number ten, that means we have to have our own trade policy, meaning our own customs policy which will mean customs checks notjust between dover and calais but also between dover and calais but also between Northern Ireland and ireland. And the alternative sketched out by the eu of Northern Ireland remaining in some sort of customs union, they say, in the language of brexiteers, that it amounts to the annexation of Northern Ireland. It has all got wrapped up in a much bigger issue, which, its very hard to see how you will resolve this so late in the day when the differences are so profound now. So are we leaving on october 31 or what . I think we will find out on 0ctober or what . I think we will find out on october 19. Or what . I think we will find out on 0ctober19. We now know Boris Johnson has pencilled that in, the day after the eu summit on october 17 and 18, for a special meeting of parliament. In one scenario he returns from brussels, hail the conquering hero, garlands are thrown at his feet and he has achieved a deal. Its kind of unlikely. More realistic is that he returns in the aftermath of the debris of a failed summitand aftermath of the debris of a failed summit and sets out what he does next. I imagine he will try to sketch why he does not have to comply with this ben act passed by mps to force him to seek an extension and why he can still depart on october 31 come what may. Mps will try to absolutely ensure he has to get out the basildon bond and write the letter asking for a delay. 0n write the letter asking for a delay. On top of that, 0ctober write the letter asking for a delay. On top of that, october 19 is also the day when there is another huge peoples vote demonstration in london. 0n the day of this crucial post summit parliamentary meeting, you will also have a massive demonstration in london. It will be a day of huge drama. Thank you to norman smith in westminster. 0pen rebellion and rioting at sea. Thats what one passenger of a cruise has told this programme has been happening on the norwegian spirit. Booing. Take us back we dont want to be on this ship take it to london passengers are calling for compensation saying its the Worst Customer Service theyve ever experienced. You can see them there on the ship, you can see them holding up the letters, we want a refund. Lets talk to cody mcnutt and katasha jones, they were passengers on the norwegian spirit who got off yesterday before the cruise was officially over, how bad was it . Absolutely horrible, we expected to have a good holiday and we had the worst trip of our live. Why do you say that . We mist five ports, we floated around the English Channel forfour floated around the English Channel for four days, the food was going bad, the toilet in our room stopped flushing. There were civil public toilets which adopt flushing, we we re toilets which adopt flushing, we were toilets which adopt flushing, we were several public toilets which stopped flushing, we were lucky we did not get sick. Then wright started on the ship, they pulled out security and were threatening to ta ke security and were threatening to take out passengers will talk us through the riots, were you involved, where you in the group of writers . Rioters. We were enraged, it was the third change to our itinerary, we were 15 minutes from docking and the captain turned the ship around and lied to everyone , the ship around and lied to everyone, they kept saying we were going to dock every minute and half an hour after, they said, we would not be docking. There was an outrage, roaring from all of the people ready to get off the ship. They had their coats and bags ready to go. Just outrage of, why, give us an answer. No to go. Just outrage of, why, give us an answer. No answers. To go. Just outrage of, why, give us an answer. No answers. We just want answers. And a refund. How much did you spend each . We spent about five grand from our room, us dollars. Plus flights and everything. We have had to rebook our flights, plus flights and everything. We have had to rebook ourflights, 900 plus flights and everything. We have had to rebook our flights, 900 to get home. We were fearful for our health and safety on the ship after this happened. Because of what he said about the toilets and the food . They were serving food, they hadnt beenin they were serving food, they hadnt been in an open port for five days, after we left norway. We went to various places in norway, and the port was closed. We were never scheduled to go there but the port was closed and we spent three days floating around the sea. All of the food was five days old. The toilets stopped working. 0ther food was five days old. The toilets stopped working. Other passengers reported that the toilets werent working. When we got up, the ship smelled awful, i dont know if the sewers we re smelled awful, i dont know if the sewers were backed up. You could walk down the hall and smell it. Sewers were backed up. You could walk down the hall and smell itm was the last two mornings we were aboard, we came to a point after all of the yelling and the upset. So disappointing. We said, as soon as the port docks, we are out. You hear stories of it happening to flanges on cruise ships, you go on expensive trip on your holiday and it is absolutely ruined. I have a statement here from the company. It said, the itinerary was impacted by weather conditions. While nine ports of call were originally planned for the voyage, the revised itinerary allows the ship to call at eight ports. We are very sorry for any inconvenience that our guests experience, we offer 25 cruise credit. Go on. They sent the letter to everyone halfway through the day after the riots started and i think they were trying to calm everyone down, thats why they sent it out. Its just infuriated people, down, thats why they sent it out. Itsjust infuriated people, that they would offer us to go on another trip to them after they had done that for us. What they wanted a refund. Where did the ship leaf from and where was it supposed to go . We we re and where was it supposed to go . We were supposed to go to southampton, then amsterdam, and then bergen. And then amsterdam, and then bergen. And then around norway and supposed to sail to iceland. A day in northern iceland, and then two days in reykjavik, come back, come back and do belfast and dublin and back to southampton. 14 days iceland cruise is what we had bought. And what we got is days at sea floating around the English Channel. We did not go to amsterdam, they told us before we got on the ship that they had been cancelled, they took our passports from us, we are us citizens, they took our passports and we dont know why. We asked when they took our passports and were not given any real answers, just policy. And then to be at sea for so many days is a bit frightening, where are we . Who has our information . After we left southampton and amsterdam was cancelled, they told us we were going to france and people were excited because they wanted to go to normandy and possibly paris for the day. But that was cancelled shortly thereafter, so we just floated around the channel. Then we supposed to go to bergen in norway and we went there and had an ok time in bergen, then we went to another place in norway which was beautiful but then we went to berenger and a lot of things were 0k but then we went to berenger and a lot of things were ok but it was a pretty small town. When we were leaving, they announced that we would not be going to iceland and we watched on the gps as the ship went 30 minutes from where we were to where we were going the next day and passedit where we were going the next day and passed it to go back out into international waters, i dont know why. Even though this was an iceland cruise . Let me read the rest of the statement if i may. Then i will talk toa statement if i may. Then i will talk to a passenger who is on board, still on board. Let me read the rest of it because you got off yesterday. Thats why you said you felt like a hostage because you were floating around in the sea because you didnt have your passport. The statement says, we do our best to provide our guests with a truly enjoyable and memorable vacation but our First Priority is to ensure the safety of them and the crew. We understand it is disheartening when we cannot go into ports but we ask the patient and understanding and we do the most we can to call the port whenever it is safe to do so. 0ur we can to call the port whenever it is safe to do so. Our goal is to showcase the beautiful destinations our ships visit and provide guests with an on board experience second to none. Emily, has it been an on board experience second to none . Hello, emily, can you hear me . Yes, ican hearyou. Hello, emily, can you hear me . Yes, i can hearyou. I hello, emily, can you hear me . Yes, i can hear you. Ijust want to make sure you dont lose the signal. Has it been an on board experience second to none as the company says . Can you repeat that . What it has been like on board the norwegian spirit . The minute we walked in they told us the amsterdam airport would be cancelled and replaced with france. And so we didnt plan anything for france, and we cant do anything for france, and we cant do anything and by the time we purchased an excursion package with them, the next day they told us that was cancelled due to the weather conditions. Isnt that fair enough . The company said you were meant to go to nine ports, you went to eight and it was because of the weather conditions. Thats what they told us, but then they were circling around norway, norway should have only been three ports but we ended up only been three ports but we ended up at nine ports, two of which were very small, and five ports where the point of interest, the same place. So basically the ship was circling around norway. And what do you think of this trip you were on . Sorry, i am having a hard time hearing. What do you think of this trip that you are on, emily, how would you describe it . Well, i was totally disappointed because i signed up a year ago for the trip that they advertised, amsterdam and iceland was one of those that i signed up for and was one of those that i signed up forandl was one of those that i signed up for and i found out that i was mainly in norway. They kept telling us it was due to bad weather and we dont know if that was the case. Was the toilet in your cabin working . The toilet is working but the food is so so, we were disappointed with the change in itinerary. Thank you very much talking to us. You are off the ship, where you going to now, are you to get iceland . We are in dublin, and our layover home stops through iceland in reykjavik so we will spend a couple of hours. The only ones in the ship to actually get to go to iceland on the 14 day iceland cruise from norwegian. When you put it like that it does sound funny. We note it is probably hysterical laughter from me but funny. We note it is probably hysterical laughterfrom me but i totally understand what you mean. Peoples spirits are broken. And being on the ship and hearing about ita being on the ship and hearing about it a very different things. People can communicate with relatives, we had no idea and they would not tell us, we were stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Thank you, enjoy your trip to iceland, finally, appreciate you talking to us. Thank you very much. This couple who were on the norwegian spirit and sound like they are very glad they are not any more. A british woman who says she was gang raped in ayia napa has revealed exclusively to this programme several text and whatsapp messages which she says show she was coerced by police into retracting those Rape Allegations. The 19 year old claims she was the victim of an ordeal involving a group of israeli men who she had met earlier on the holiday. Twelve were initially arrested. They cant be identified under cypriot law. The victim says that when she was called in by police to clarify a few things with her statement, she was there for five hours and pressured to withdraw the allegations, which she eventually did. The men were released and flew back to israel, while she was charged with public mischief for making a false statement. She was imprsioned and is now facing a trial. Here are the messages. This was sent at 2 36am. In his first live tv interview we can speak to michael polak, a human rights lawyer from justice abroad, a Legal Aid Group providing help to the woman and her family. Thank you for talking to us. First of all, how is this woman . 0bviously, of all, how is this woman . Obviously, not only has she suffered what is a very terrible experience with the initial assault, she has been made to stay in prison in cyprus and she is now on trial so one can only describe how she is feeling right now. Can you tell us what you say she was allegedly gang raped, she went. She says she went toa raped, she went. She says she went to a room with one man and others forced their way in and had sexual intercourse with her against her well. A lot of the surrounding evidence starts to support her, we have had a Cypriot Police officer given evidence in the trial which has started already, we dont say eve ryo ne has started already, we dont say everyone who was arrested was involved. When you look at the evidence it does not say that. One of the israeli youths, he said he came across a group of them outside on the evening of the rape, he asked his friend if they were going to the nightclub, and he said no, in a bad and aggressive manner, he said that is how they responded, his words, not mine. They said, we are going to f the english girl, that is what they said. That is what might have happened, that is the understanding. How many men does she say raped her . 12 were arrested, five and then eventually all were released, how many does she say were involved . She doesnt know, she said there were a large number of them. What happened with the Cypriot Police is they arrested 12 israeli youths but they did not do very simple investigatory step two her like having an id parade for her to identify them. Im sure people who are not involved we re sure people who are not involved were sent to prison as well and arrested but that is due to the investigation into the rape offence. With the women have a medical examination . 0ne with the women have a medical examination . One would think that if it was a gang rape, there would be medical evidence. There has been a medical evidence. There has been a medical examination, herfriends found her after the incident and took to the medical centre in the Hotel Complex where she was staying. The medic there are reports that what happened was she was inconsolable, she would not let him anywhere near her, there is a video of him speaking about it and he called the police. He contacted the police and got them involved, not her or herfriends. She police and got them involved, not her or her friends. She was taken to hospitalfor her or her friends. She was taken to hospital for investigation there. We will examine the investigation reports. Have you not looked at them yet . I have not seen them yet. The night she was recalled to the Police Station she was told it was to clarify elements of her statement, thatis clarify elements of her statement, that is the night she said she was effectively forced by the police, which they deny, the change her statement to say that it was a false allegation against these men, what did she say happened that night . We have shown our audience the texts and whatsapp which you say she has been sending, what happened . On that night, 28th ofjuly, ten days after the rape incident, she was taken into the Police Station and she had been dealing with a female officer throughout the whole investigation who she had a Good Relationship with who she had a Good Relationship with who was supporting her in giving her state m e nts who was supporting her in giving her statements and evidence. This occurred, she was taken to a Police Station on that night when that officer was not working, off duty, which we think rings alarm bells stop she does mention a female officer . That was a different one. The officer she had been working with gave her a call and told her to go in. That wasjust with gave her a call and told her to go in. That was just that atm, the retraction comes at 2am. At 8pm, the retraction was 2am. She says they said things like, we will arrest your friends, you will not be able to go to the back to your mother, sinus and you will be all right. We say that the Text Messages in support what was happening in the Police Station. 0ne in support what was happening in the Police Station. One thing which is surprising and amazing about the cyprus Police Stations, nothing is recorded in stations, no audio or video recording. No legal representation . No legal representation . No legal representation so you have this environment which is ripe for pressure to be placed on people to change the evidence. Why did she retract it . She was put under this immense pressure, told, dont sign this and everything will be ok, we will arrest your friends just signed this and everything will be 0k, we will arrest your friends and you will not be able to go back to the hotel. And for an 18 year old suffering from ptsd which affect how people behave, one can understand how she might have gone into that situation. It is quite interesting, there is a Netflix Series at the moment called unbelievable, the First Episode goes alongside this sort of situation, people suffering from ptsd will sometimes give a false statement and retract evidence just to get out of the situation because of how they react to the ptsd. We have had a statement from her mother, which says. It seems as though all of our lives have been set aside and paused as everyone continues to move around us. Our daughter has been diagnosed with ptsd from a psychological expert based in the uk and is on medication. What you say would be the motive of the Police Officers who wanted her to retract her Rape Allegation against these young israeli men . There was huge political pressure in cyprus because you have got the town of iron app which exists and survives because of this kind of tourism the town of ayia napa, this is tourism based on young people coming from around the world, so the mayor of ayia napa came out with very strong prejudicial state m e nts with very strong prejudicial statements on what had happened in that kind of thing. There was immense pressure on the police to get this sorted. And the police would bow to pressure from the mayor . The police who, you know, sign up and do their duty to protect people . All of the circumstances of this retraction statement seem to show that they were under some pressure to get that retraction statement on that one night. Why do it on that night without this female officer there, why could it not have waited until the next day . Why didnt she have a lawyer . There are all the circumstances of this retraction statement which make it very worrying indeed. Retraction statement which make it very worrying indeedlj retraction statement which make it very worrying indeed. I want to ask you about a video posted online of the women having sex with one of these men earlier that she had met earlier on holiday, and this footage was posted online without her permission. How did she react to that . Its obviously very distressing for people to be watching you in an intimate moment, and in none of the videos which we have seen, those which have been posted online, show any consent to have been found. The officer in the case says he has watched the videos and there is no video of any consensual group sex. It is very worrying for her to find out that this kind of thing has been put online. She is facing trial for something called public mischief which is effectively giving a full statement. How are you going to try and get this retraction dismissed . Justice abroad, the organisation i work for, we have put together a top legal team, we have lewis powell, queens council, one of the top ten female barristers, we have expert in human rights law and expert in cypriot criminal law. And we are confident when they make these arguments, it is for the prosecution to prove that the confession is reliable. If the court looks as this fairly, it should be taken out of the case as a whole. Thank you for talking to us. You are providing legal help to the woman and her family. As to repeat, Cypriot Police deny that they forced the woman to retract her Rape Allegation. Dozens of mums are breast and bottle feeding their babies on the streets of westminster this morning. Its part of two weeks of protests by Campaign Group Extinction Rebellion who are demanding urgent action on Climate Change. Nearly 600 people have been arrested since the protests started on monday. 0ur reporter catrin nye is at Parliament Square with some of the women taking part in this mornings nurse in. Good morning. This is day three of a planned two weeks of protests by extension rebellion extension rebellion, their first extension rebellion extension rebellion, theirfirst major action since they brought parts of london toa since they brought parts of london to a standstill in april. Already more than 600 arrests at the moment, thatis more than 600 arrests at the moment, that is what Extinction Rebellion wa nts, that is what Extinction Rebellion wants, they want to cause a stir, make people listen and they have had a lot of stunts. We have seen protesters glued to the department for transport, wedding Westminster Bridge and a hearse on trafalgar square, and this one is no different. This is a nurse in, mums feeding their babies to make a statement about their concerns for the planet and consent of the future of the children. I am going to come to anna first, you have one of the smallest babies here, six weeks old. I presume this is not where you would want to be so why are you here . I am here because i need to protect her future, do everything i can, im frightened, i dont know whats going to happen. It brought it home to me when my older daughter asked me what was going to happen when she had a baby and i could not a nswer when she had a baby and i could not answer her, and i want to do everything i can to make sure she has a future. I know some Extinction Rebellion protesters have decided against having children completely because of their worries about the planet, isnt something you thought about . I thought about it, planet, isnt something you thought about . Ithought about it, i didnt know the scale of the problem, i think the public has changed quite a lot in the last few months understanding of it has changed quite a lot in the last few months. Ido quite a lot in the last few months. I do understand that from people. I was already pregnant by the time i understood that. It served to make me even more frightened about what the future holds. You are here with your little one as well, one of the problems about Extinction Rebellion . Protest is that they cause huge disruption, and for some people, they turn them off the climate debate, is that something that worries you . In april, i am a fitness instructor, i was going from clu b fitness instructor, i was going from club to club, teaching classes, i saw everyone protesting and i heard the grumbling of the commute is saying, everyone is in the way. It made me feel so sad. This is not a selfish act, this is a humanitarian act. We are doing this because we really care. Its the most important thing thats happening at this time. And its been the most important thing on the global agenda for the past 20 years. But its always sidelined. And finally we have got some momentum so its exciting and im really happy to look around and see so many mothers here and so many children because we are raising this generation to be awake. They are the generation to be awake. They are the generation that have to, they have no time, they have no time at all. We always thought there would be more time. The 2050 predictions are out of the window. For some people this does just looks like middle class mums with time on their hands making a scene. I know some people in your own family arent keen on you doing this. Do you worry about people being put off rather than being attracted to the cause . think the Environment Movement in the past has got it wrong, being too preachy for instance. I was always seenin preachy for instance. I was always seen in my family is the problem one because i used to come over to my mums house and turn off the tvs and all the lights and say, why is this happening . I would constantly find myself in arguments, i refused to fly, i upset my mother because i would not go somewhere with her, and isaid, would not go somewhere with her, and i said, its not about you, this is much bigger than that. I now have a nine year old daughter who i want to feel is confident that im hearing her. She feels depressed by the situation. Its in her lifetime. Even before she reaches voting age, we are really going to see everything go into runaway Climate Change, runaway global warming. Are there other changes that you as mums have made in your life as well as coming here and making this kind of protest . I have stopped flying, my partner has stopped flying, he took a train to geneva recently rather than flying. We are nearly cut outs totally meet, we try to avoid using ourcar, totally meet, we try to avoid using our car, we have a cargo bike is really fu n. Our car, we have a cargo bike is really fun. All of those things are really fun. All of those things are really good for our health as well. All those things together mean we are more active and our diet is better. It cannot be a negative. The steps that we are taking. These mums are going to be here for the next hour or are going to be here for the next hourorso, are going to be here for the next hour or so, plenty more stunts expected and luckily likely to be a lot more arrests. Just bring you this news from coleen rooney, making accusations about the wife of jamie vardy, rebecca vardy, she is accusing her of leaking stories about her. Coleen rooney has just tweeted and we are waiting to hear a statement from rebecca vardy. Thank you for your time today. Good morning. For many of us it is dry out there at the moment, we have some sunny spells but there are some showers in the forecast. They are mainly going to affect western parts of the uk. For the time being, that is the isle of wight, there are some good spells of sunshine. Some showers in southern coastal areas and mainly across western parts, especially so in western scotland where they will be frequent, heavy and even thundery. And quite gusty winds this afternoon, after 45 or 50 mile around the west of scotland, elsewhere 35 miles an hour. A blustery afternoon, any showers passing through quickly. Temperatures down a little bit compared to yesterday. A slightly cooler day. 13 to 16 degrees. Through tonight, still some showers in scotland and Northern England, elsewhere clear spells into tomorrow. Throughout thursday, it will be a bright start, the cloud will be a bright start, the cloud will tend to increase for many of us. We will see some rain Northern Ireland, scotland, Northern England and the midlands. Youre watching bbc newsroom live its11am and these are the main stories this morning youre watching bbc newsroom live its11am and these are the main stories this morning youre watching bbc newsroom live its11am and these are the main stories this morning all 555 thomas cook shops are to be bought by rival hays travel in a move that could save up to 2500 jobs. Mps will be called to parliament for a special saturday sitting in a decisive day for the future of brexit on october 19th. Judges in scotland will rule in the next few minutes on whether the courts can sign a letter requesting a brexit extension if Boris Johnson refuses to do so. The white house officially refuses to co operate with the impeachment inquiry against president donald trump. The foreign secretary is expected to meet the family of harry dunn, who was killed in a motorcycle crash in august, as he urges the usa to reconsider its position on the diplomatic immunity given to a suspect