Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC 20240703

Rishi sunak faces pressure to spell out the future of the High Speed Rail Link to the north of england, as businesses and politicians demand answers. As businesses and all as businesses and i can say is im not going to be forced all i can say is im not going to be forced into a premature decision. And pope francis appears to leave open the possibility of priests blessing some same sex couples. Now to Nagorno Karabakh which has been left virtually empty of Ethnic Armenians after it came under full azerbaijani control. We have been speaking to a professor of armenian studies. It is so important to hear the story of people you have talked to. If you can tell me once again, you have been speaking to those who have fled Nagorno Karabakh, what are the main problems and issues and fears that people you have been speaking to have right now . First of all, ithink speaking to have right now . First of all. I think i speaking to have right now . First of all, i thinki should speaking to have right now . First of all, i think i should tell speaking to have right now . First of all, i think i should tell you speaking to have right now . First of all, i think i should tell you that all, i think i should tell you that i had just returned from the southern part of armenia where all the displaced people are coming from Nagorno Karabakh. I stayed there for about ten days. I simply shared my hotel with them. I shared my hotel with about 150 displaced people, elderly people, children and had the opportunity to talk to them every time i was in my hotel, for breakfast, in the lifts, wherever. A lot of stories they keep telling. The most important thing for them was to sleep and to eat. They were very hungry, imagine after nine months of blockade after having a few days of break at the airport at stepanakert where there was nothing to eat, no water, so they were extremely hungry, extremely exhausted. The first thing they needed was just to sleep and to have food. Even if i watch them eating, you can see how hungry they were. This was incredible, i will never forget the eyes of the children. And of course now they are somehow safe but still they have this fear inside of them. Because they are in armenia and armenia have done everything to welcome them, help them. To help organise their registration and everything but it takes a few days for them to understand what has happened. Flan for them to understand what has ha ened. ,. , for them to understand what has ha ened. ,. , happened. Can i interrupt, iwant to ask ou happened. Can i interrupt, iwant to ask you one happened. Can i interrupt, iwant to ask you one final happened. Can i interrupt, iwant to ask you one final thing, happened. Can i interrupt, iwant to ask you one final thing, is happened. Can i interrupt, iwant to ask you one final thing, is the happened. Can i interrupt, iwant to ask you one final thing, is the talk | ask you one final thing, is the talk amongst these people of a time when they can see themselves going back . I dont think so, no. There is some hope but they have realised that this is a one way. I think the major problem is that this was a choice, a life choice. Either you go and can live or either you stay and can be killed. It isjust live or either you stay and can be killed. It is just the choice you had to leave your home country, to leave your place, leave your village. There is the hope but i think they are slowly realising how difficult it will be to return. Anyhow, we know that it will be difficult to return. Anyhow, we know that it will be difficult to return. Really good to talk to yom difficult to return. Really good to talk to you. Thank difficult to return. Really good to talk to you. Thank you difficult to return. Really good to talk to you. Thank you for talk to you. Thank you for persevering and coming back to us to tell the important stories of those who have fled from Nagorno Karabakh. Kenya says the Un Security Council vote to approve its leading role in an International Security force for haiti holds out hope for the crisis hit caribbean nation. Around a thousand Kenyan Police are expected to lead the force. Kenyas foreign minister, alfred mutua, says the mandate is not only about peace and security, but the political, economic, and social rebuilding of haiti. Haitis Prime Minister, ariel henry, said the Bell Of Liberation had sounded, with hopes that the International Force will be able to subdue the armed gangs that have killed hundreds of people in brutal violence, caused a collapse in public services, and shortages of vital supplies. How ready are the canyons for this job . Well, with more on this, i am joined now by the Program Director for africa at the International Crisis group, murithi mutiga, whos in nairobi. Let me ask you first of all is how ready are the kenyans to go to haiti . ,. , ready are the kenyans to go to haiti . , a, ,. , haiti . They have contributed to multile haiti . They have contributed to multiple peacekeeping haiti . They have contributed to | multiple peacekeeping Missions Haiti . They have contributed to i multiple Peacekeeping Missions in the past. The problem is this is a fairly unconventional deployment. There is no peace to keep, they might be confronting gangs who have an economic incentive to keep control of fairly densely populated low income settlements. I think the kenyans will have to prepare carefully because it is unlike their other deployments in the past. These armed gangs. Other deployments in the past. These armed gangs. They other deployments in the past. These armed gangs, they are other deployments in the past. These armed gangs, they are a other deployments in the past. These armed gangs, they are a serious issue within the country of haiti. They have been running riot in various areas of the country. What are the kenyans doing to prepare for this . ,. , are the kenyans doing to prepare for this . ,. ,. ,. ,. , this . There is a big humanitarian crisis in haiti. This . There is a big humanitarian crisis in haiti. You this . There is a big humanitarian crisis in haiti. You have this . There is a big humanitarian crisis in haiti. You have multiple| crisis in haiti. You have multiple gangs controlling multiple installations, very difficult to move around, very difficult for ordinary people, so we think this is the least worst option. But the kenyans need to prepare. One is on the political, we dont have political consensus in haiti. The current Prime Minister is not elected, his legitimacy is open to question so its important you have some political Bridge Building so this is not seen as reinforcing a fairly unpopular Prime Minister. Given the bad history of interventions in the past, the misadventures we have seen in past interventions, they need to be trained up to operationally deployed their best and secondly, on the human rights front, to get locals to buy in, they have to ensure their behaviour is spot on. Buy in, they have to ensure their behaviour is spot on. People within ken a, behaviour is spot on. People within kenya. What behaviour is spot on. People within kenya. What is behaviour is spot on. People within kenya, what is the behaviour is spot on. People within kenya, what is the feeling behaviour is spot on. People within kenya, what is the feeling theyre i kenya, what is the feeling theyre about sending these troops . Kenya has a proud history of being involved in these types of missions but this one in particular, because kenya is leading it and the complicated issues that arise, what kind of reaction has there been within kenya itself . Kind of reaction has there been within kenya itself . There is a bit of befuddlement. Within kenya itself . There is a bit of befuddlement. People within kenya itself . There is a bit of befuddlement. People are within kenya itself . There is a bit of befuddlement. People are not| of befuddlement. People are not familiar with the context in haiti. But we have to remember there is a long history of pan African Solidarity to the caribbean going back to the Independence Movement in the 1950s and 60s. The Political Class has sold this as an act of solidarity, as a reasonable step to help the people of haiti, but if there are casualties, if this turns out to be a difficult and dragged out to be a difficult and dragged out deployment, then the public could turn sour. Kenya is a relatively open society, that means you would have political pressure, so that underscores the need to prepare carefully, to have a clearly defined mission and to be careful that you dont end up having a backlash. ,. ,. ,. , that you dont end up having a backlash. ,. , ~. , that you dont end up having a backlash that you dont end up having a backlash. ,. , ~. ,. , ~ backlash. Good to talk to you. Thank ou ve backlash. Good to talk to you. Thank you very much backlash. Good to talk to you. Thank you very much indeed. Police in the Indian Capital, delhi, have carried out Early Morning raids on the homes of severaljournalists and other employees of the left leaning newsclick website. The operation is reported to be in connection with alleged illegal funding from china something the website denies. There are no reports of arrests, though journalists have been questioned at delhi police stations, and laptops, phones, and computers were seized. Lets get more on this from our south asia Regional Editor anbarasan ethirajan. What more do we know about these raids . ,. , , what more do we know about these raids . ,. ,. Raids . These raids by police in the Indian Capital raids . These raids by police in the Indian Capital delhi raids . These raids by police in the Indian Capital delhi are raids . These raids by police in the Indian Capital delhi are described l Indian Capital delhi are described as quite extraordinary and it has shocked the Journalistic Community and many Media Rights Organisations and many Media Rights Organisations and Journalists Bodies i have Emergency Meetings as we speak against these raids. And what kind of impact this will have on free and independentjournalism in india. Newsclick describes itself as a total independent news website with the progressive views and those who raided it included journalist, satirist and those who wrote columns are now the government is accusing them of Receiving Illegalfunding from china. The latest raid came after the New York Times published a report in august which said a us based lynette was financing various media groups around the globe for chinese propaganda. These are strongly rejected by china but what has happened isJournalists Bodies are worried about what kind of independentjournalism they can do given the current climate in india at the moment. They say the crackdown on journalists, at the moment. They say the crackdown onjournalists, especially those critical of the government of Hindu Nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi have increased after he came to power in 2014 but the government strongly rejects these charges. Government strongly reects these charaes. , ~ government strongly reects these charaes. , i. Government strongly reects these charaes. , ~ government strongly reects these charaes. , ~ ,. ,~ charges. Thank you. Some Breaking News and that charges. Thank you. Some Breaking News and that is charges. Thank you. Some Breaking News and that is regarding charges. Thank you. Some Breaking News and that is regarding planned | news and that is regarding planned strikes in the London Underground on wednesday and thursday. The uks Rail Union The Rmt has called off these planned strikes by London Underground workers on wednesday and friday. They were due to be happening on both those days but the latest we are getting is that members of the Rmt Union Have agreed not to watch out. These walk outs would have severely disrupted the underground indie capitalfor those underground indie capital for those Couple Underground Indie Capitalfor those couple of days. One of the main reasons for the strikes has been pay and conditions. There will also still be a National Rail strikes on wednesday which will affect 16 Train Companies across the country. Those have not as yet been called off. That story is just coming into us in the last few minutes. A Lightning Strikes been blamed for a huge Gas Explosion at a food Waste Recycling plant in oxfordshire. No one was hurt in the blast at the Severn Trent Green Power facility at cassington. Vincent mcaviney has the details. Theres a fire. Oh, my god. Lightning just struck that. Just after 7pm last night, a Fireball Lighting up the sky north of oxford. Eyewitnesses for miles around stared on in disbelief. Oh, my god. That is flipping massive. We heard like a bang or something. And when i went to the balcony, i saw this huge fireball. And it went like that for almost a minute. Yeah, it felt like it was like, like some sort of gas or something. Like, i dont know, we were a bit scared. The explosion was caused when a Lightning Strike hit a biogas storage tank at the Severn Trent Green Power plant at cassington. Six fire engines, 40 firefighters, police and at least four ambulances attended the scene. Firefighters used a drone to help them battle the blaze. For a time, the nearby a40 had to be closed between wolvercote and eynsham. Several nearby villages also reported power outages, too. The company, which recycles food waste into biogas, said it was now working with the Emergency Services to secure the site. In a statement, Thames Valley police advised People Living nearby to stay home, shut windows and doors and keep away from the scene. But despite the force of the explosion, both police and the company said they believed nobody had been hurt. Vincent mcavinney, bbc news. Incredible pictures are there. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Ever since she got her new phone and its the same story for so many older people invited to these free it sessions in birmingham. From the old school where it sessions in birmingham. From the old school where we it sessions in birmingham. From the old school where we are it sessions in birmingham. From the old school where we are used it sessions in birmingham. From the old school where we are used to old school where we are used to face to face deal with banks, pe0ple. Face to face deal with banks, people, get feedback, any difficulties we have, then people are easier. Difficulties we have, then people are easier are easier. This class In The City Centre is the are easier. This class In The City Centre is the first are easier. This class In The City Centre is the first of are easier. This class In The City Centre is the first of around are easier. This class In The City Centre is the first of around a l centre is the first of around a thousand which bt and uk Charity Ability and that are running up and down the country. With more services moving online, people know they have to change with the times. There moving online, people know they have to change with the times. To change with the times. There are 11 Million People to change with the times. There are 11 Million People in to change with the times. There are 11 Million People in the to change with the times. There are 11 Million People in the uk to change with the times. There are 11 Million People in the uk who 11 Million People in the uk who dont have the basic Digital Skills they need and we know that people over 65 or ten times more likely to fall into that category. Youre live with bbc news. Pope francis has suggested there could be ways to bless same sex unions, responding to conservative cardinals who challenged him to affirm the churchs teaching on homosexuality. The vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed gay marriage. Live now to our rome correspondent mark lowen. How significant is this . It shows once again how significant is this . It shows once again that how significant is this . It shows once again that pope how significant is this . It shows once again that pope francis how significant is this . It shows once again that pope francis isl how significant is this . It shows once again that pope francis is more inclined to an understanding position on same sex unions. He said any request for a blessing should be treated on a case by case basis and with pastoral charity, and said we cannot be judges that only deny, reject and exclude but this goes against a vatican rule back in 2021 that same sex unions cannot be blessed because god cannot bless sin. The question now is this pope francis in a slightly typical way speaking in a slightly more personal capacity, perhaps even in an off the cuff way, even though this was a formal reply to these five cardinals, and will he not actually be echoed by vatican doctrine because that would be a major shift if the congregation that lays out doctrine actually changed vatican rulings on this and there is no sign at the moment that that is imminent. Talk to me about what other parts of the world who obviously have strong or predominantly catholic, what do they think about this direction which the pope seems to be heading in . ,. ,. ,. , , in . There is a division as is indeed that is within in . There is a division as is indeed that is within the in . There is a division as is indeed that is within the catholic in . There is a division as is indeed that is within the catholic church. | that is within the catholic church. You have countries like germany, for example, where priests have defied the vatican teaching on this and they have blessed, some priests have blessed same sex unions. That has created, raised the ire of conservative parts of the world, particularly in africa and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere where they are much more conservative. That very much echoes the divisions between the more conservative and slightly more liberal parts of the catholic church. These five cardinals who asked the priest very directly about this issue are on the conservative wing of the catholic church. They are very much more in favour of sticking to vatican doctrine but then you have slightly more understanding, slightly more linear parts who will be more in favour of pope francis. This will come to a head in this big meeting happening at the vatican starting this week, they will be discussing the churchs position on these issues and no doubt the issue of homosexuality and same sex civil unions will very much be part of those discussions. Samesex civil unions will very much be part of those discussions. Be part of those discussions. Thank ou. A yes vote would basically see aboriginal and straight islander people included in the constitution for the first time. The body called the voice would give Parliament Non binding advice. Here is phil mercer. Australias Indigenous People are not recognised or mentioned in the countrys constitution. Australian voters have the chance to change that on referendum day on the 14th of october. Early voting is under way across all of australias six states and two mccrimmon territories. To succeed a Referendum Needs what is called a double majority, thats a majority of all australian voters and also a majority of states, so four out of the six states in australia need to vote yes for a referendum to succeed. The australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a staunch supporter of the voice to parliament. This would be an Indigenous Panel made up of people from all over the country that would be enshrined in the constitution to give advice to parliament and to government. Mr albanese � s says it would have a positive and Practical Impact on the lives of some of australias most disadvantaged people. The no campaign is ahead in Opinion Polls and it is a broad church of dissenters. There are politicians who say not enough detail has been given as to how the voice will work and who will be on it. There are other campaigners who argue that as a permanent body, the voice will presume that australias Indigenous People will always be disadvantaged and will always need special treatment. So it is now up to 17. 5 million registered voters in this country. They have started to cast their ballots but referendum day in this country is the 14th of october, constitutional change though is extremely rare in this country since 1901, only eight out of 44 referendums have been passed. Lets take you to our top, breaking story today and that is the Shopping Mall shooting in thailand. So far we know that at least three people have been killed in a shooting in a mall in the centre of bangkok. Lets take you live there. You can see their police and Emergency Services standing outside the entrance and exit to the Shopping Mall. This happened a short while ago and the latest is that a 14 year old suspect has been arrested by police. Earlier we saw some images appearing to show the scene outside the mall. We saw dozens of police vehicles, many ambulances outside. We know four people have been injured and witnesses are reported to have been hiding inside some of the Shopping Malls shops and bathrooms. We spoke earlier to our correspondence Jonathan Head and he was telling us how this should mall is hugely popular, not only with locals but with tourists within the city of bangkok. Also in the last few minutes, the Prime Minister has said his deepest condolences to families of those who had died and been injured. More on our website. The chairman of the uks Covid Inquiry has made a plea to families who lost loved ones, saying they will not be ignored. Crossbench peer baroness hallett said the second part of the inquiry which got under way in london earlier would focus on key Decision Making in the uk. The main question will be whether the government under former Prime Minister borisjohnson served people well , or failed them. Live now to Central London and our correspondent ellie price. What has been heard so far . As you sa this what has been heard so far . As you say this has what has been heard so far . As you say this has been what has been heard so far . As you say this has been an what has been heard so far . As you say this has been an inquiry what has been heard so far . As you say this has been an inquiry that say this has been an inquiry that started this morning. It started with harrowing Video Testimony from people who suffered during the pandemic and since, people who have lost loved ones and those suffering from non covert. That is something quite notable about the start of this inquiry. Baroness hallet keen to stress this was about people, the real people who had suffered, but she said quite strikingly there wasnt time to listen to any more testimony. The whole point of this was that there was a pressing need to get recommendations and conclusions from what had happened before, because she said it was a case of when not if there would be another pandemic. We have heard this morning from the lead counsel to the inquiry, hugo kyiv casey, who said the central questions of importance would be what about those decisions made in the run up to the first lockdown, whether those decisions made were the right ones, whether a4 lockdown should have been called earlier and had that dog down been called earlier, with some of the more draconian measures have been different . In essence, had actions been taken earlier in the pandemic, but things be better later on . We have been hearing some interesting evidence that will be looked at later on during this hearing, a taste of it this morning and this is an inquiry that will go on for the next ten weeks. A flavour this morning of what we will hear. Giee morning of what we will hear. Give me a flavour morning of what we will hear. Give me a flavour of morning of what we will hear. Give me a flavour of what morning of what we will hear. Give me a flavour of what was heard this morning. For me a flavour of what was heard this morninu. ,. , morning. For example, there were examles morning. For example, there were examples of morning. For example, there were examples of texts morning. For example, there were examples of texts being morning. For example, there were examples of texts being read morning. For example, there were examples of texts being read out | morning. For example, there were | examples of texts being read out of messages from advisers to the Prime Minister, Dominic Cummings to Boris Johnson, to the then director of Communications Lee kane in which he talked about exactly whether the Prime Minister was focused on the pandemic. He said the Prime Minister at the start of march was more focused, it thought this would pass like swine flu, that his focus was elsewhere. Also we have heard from patrick vallance, the chief scientific officer who in the uk, who said ministers were trying to make the science give them the answers rather than their making decisions. A flavour of some of the questions being asked. It has been confirmed today that Boris Johnson and rishi sunak will give evidence later on in this inquiry. And rishi sunak will give evidence later on in this inquiry. Now this is a case of holy camel we had to show you these pictures from a new york cathedral. That is a Camel Heading to be blessed at stjohn the divine cathedral. But it wasnt the only animal in fact there were hundreds including as you can see a snake, pony, ostrich, geese and ofcourse cats and dogs. Animals lovers of many faiths brought their furry and in the case were told there was only one small accident when one animal did need a wee. It happens to the best of us. Stay with us on the bbc. Hello, it has freshened up a little bit in the last 24 hours. Quite a humid, cloudy day for many of us yesterday then a cold front swept through. You can see it on the edge of the screen there, moving through germany and denmark and through the wake of this Weather Front, denmark and through the wake of this weatherfront, Sunny Denmark and through the wake of this Weather Front, sunny spells and showers brought by this westerly atlantic breeze. Temperatures this afternoon about 14 in glasgow, 18 or 19 in the south and south east. Tonight another Weather Front approaches. It will reach Northern Ireland and scotland through the early hours and it will be quite persistent, so it will not move much to the north and south, it will keep coming and quite a lot of rain to come across this part of the country. Temperatures about the same in the north and south. For wednesday, large area of High Pressure and warm weather across more south Western Parts of europe. We are closer to the Weather Front here so a soggy day across parts of scotland through tomorrow. South of that Weather Front with this South Westerly wind, it is starting to turn a little more humid again, temperatures in the high teens as far north as newcastle and in the north of scotland, a little bit fresher there at around 12 or 13 the other side of the Weather Front. He was the forecast for thursday. We start to develop a southerly breeze or south South Westerly. This front will bring cloud and rain to ireland, Parts Of Western Scotland but the further east and south east you are, the drier and brighter the weather will be. A decent day for east anglia and the south east. Skip to the weekend, notice the large scale Weather Patterns across the atlantic, the Weather Front severe off to the north and we developed this more southerly flow of air, so a warm atmosphere coming in from the south thanks to this dip in the jet stream which is scooping up the warm air. Look at the hot conditions across spain, portugal, france. Temperatures widely into the 20s, the mid and high 20s briefly across the mid and high 20s briefly across the south of the country. We have had temperatures in the 20s this early october. That warmth is sustained for some of us, this is quite extraordinary but something we expect more often now. Today at one rishi sunak says he wont be rushed into a premature decision on the hs2 high speed rail line. The conservative Party Conference has been dominated by speculation the Prime Minister is about to cut the birmingham to manchester leg of the project. Im going to approach this the same way i approach everything thoughtfully, carefully, across the detail, and making what i believe is the right decision in the long term for our country. Mr sunak will address his Party Conference tomorrow. Also on the programme this lunchtime. Jades Law Legislation named after this murdered mother would strip people who kill their partners of their parental rights. Families protest outside the Covid Inquiry as it examines borisjohnsons decisions during the pandemic. And firefighters work through the night after a Lightning Strike that caused a Gas Explosion in oxfordshire. And coming up on bbc news 30 years since their first meeting, Manchester United take on galatasaray in their Opening Champions League home game of the season