fuelled concern about his candidacy. the president is attending back—to—back fundraising events in two democratic stronghold states, new york and newjersey. it all comes as his campaign says it has raised more than $27 million between debate day and friday evening. these fundraisers and donation drives could help mr biden put his campaign back on track as some democratic lawmakers and party officials are actively considering working to replace him at the top of the ticket. on saturday, chicago tribune editorial urged mr biden to step down. that comes a day after the new york times board said that he should leave the race for the presidency. but campaign officials and the president himself say that he is not going anywhere. to hear more about those calls for mr biden to drop out of the race, i spoke to hugo lowell, a senior correspondent for the guardian. let's first of all start with these newspaper editorials. the new york times editorial board is incredibly influential, calling for president biden to drop out of the race. what kind of effect do you think these will have? that kind of newspaper will certainly end up on the desk of the oval office at some point. it desk of the oval office at some oint. . , point. it will, and i 'ust don't thinki point. it will, and i 'ust don't think it's i point. it will, and ijust don't think it's going i point. it will, and ijusti don't think it's going to point. it will, and ijust - don't think it's going to have the effect that the times wanted to. i think biden very famously, insiders in his circle and democratic congressional campaigners don't like listening to the new york times and the major media. we think they are always naysayers and have always been questioning his ability. i think if anything that time is running an editorial like this based on conversations over the weekend will probably encourage him to stay in more. the people who have influence with biden and his thinking at his family and his thinking at his family and his thinking at his family and his closest advisers. and at the moment —— the moment any of them, like president obama, come in and sayjoe, you need to step down, that is a sort of thing that is going to have an influence, but not the new york times. ~ ., ., , ., ~' influence, but not the new york times. ~ ., ., ~ , times. what do you think comes next? i mean. — times. what do you think comes next? i mean, we're _ times. what do you think comes next? i mean, we're still- times. what do you think comes next? i mean, we're still kind i next? i mean, we're still kind of sorting through the fallout of sorting through the fallout of this debate, the president attending a couple of fundraisers today. what does he need to do to start to move ahead and really prove to his own party that he is the man to take on and to defeat donald trump? take on and to defeat donald trum - ? ., ., ~ , take on and to defeat donald trum - ? ., ., ~' , �* trump? look, president biden needs a reset, _ trump? look, president biden needs a reset, that _ trump? look, president biden needs a reset, that is - needs a reset, that is abundantly clear. i cannot tell you the number of millionaires, billionaires— the people who are big dollar donors to biden�*s campaign, who had a collective freak out after the debate. on the one thing that president biden had to do is to convince people that his age is not going to be an issue, and he struggled and franklyjust failed at that in the debate. and the other point that he has to make is, and this is one that he is doing well, and so i think you should get credit for this, is democracy is on the ballot in this election. his campaign and kind of biden sagas have always been making the case that it is a contest between an authoritarian like figure in donald trump, who wants to reset the way that the us government works to his own benefit, and biden, as the guy who is going to keep democracy as it is. that is the point that he has distress to donors to keep them onside. lets actually talk _ to keep them onside. lets actually talk about - to keep them onside. lets actually talk about donald | actually talk about donald trump for a second. his performance was filled with a number of falsehoods. do you think that, on the other hand, donald trump might be let off the hook here a little bit for a performance that maybe wasn't as strong as some people think it was? i as strong as some people think it was? ~ ., �* , as strong as some people think it was? ~ . �* , ., it was? i think that's fair. trump had _ it was? i think that's fair. trump had so _ it was? i think that's fair. trump had so many - it was? i think that's fair. - trump had so many falsehoods and lies in every response he gave during that debate, and yet it got overshadowed by biden�*s performance, and that's just not the place that biden needs to be or wants to be. and the fact of the matter is trump is going to lie all the way through this, and it ended up being incumbent on biden to fact check him, because the moderators weren't going to do that. this wasn't a debate where the moderators were going to fact check him, and biden struggled on that front as well. ~ . , h, well. we are seeing some reports. _ well. we are seeing some reports. some _ well. we are seeing some reports, some calls - well. we are seeing some reports, some calls in - well. we are seeing some reports, some calls in the media among republicans, calling on the president's cabinet to invoke the 25th amendment of the constitution. this would basically declare joe biden unfit to serve and would remove him from office now, not even talking about the election. is thisjust now, not even talking about the election. is this just a political ploy, do you think, on behalf of the republicans? oh yes, look, this is pressure from the republicans to try and cause chaos in the democratic ranks and inside the west wing. it is abundantly clear that we are nowhere near that point where the president has to be removed. at worst, he had a bad debate night where he struggled to finish some answers, he struggled to recollect some things late at night. he is old. they are actually both similarly close in age, and the fact of the matter is biden has been pretty good at legislating in governing. he has a pretty good team around him. he has beenin good team around him. he has been in this game a long time, he has been doing the nuts and bolts of government for a long time, so i don't think there is a competency question, but i think there is an age question and whether he were to return to the white house next year for a second term, whether that would be continual for three or four years. would be continual for three or four yew-— would be continual for three or four years. hypothetically, and ou can four years. hypothetically, and you can tell— four years. hypothetically, and you can tell me _ four years. hypothetically, and you can tell me what _ four years. hypothetically, and you can tell me what the - four years. hypothetically, and you can tell me what the odds | you can tell me what the odds you can tell me what the odds you think are of this, ifjoe biden were to step down, who might be able to step into that void and actually run on the democratic ticket?- void and actually run on the democratic ticket? yes, it's a triu aer democratic ticket? yes, it's a trigger question, _ democratic ticket? yes, it's a trigger question, and - democratic ticket? yes, it's a trigger question, and i - democratic ticket? yes, it's a trigger question, and i think. trigger question, and i think the likelihood of that happening is zero. from a logistical standpoint, but also from a president biden perspective, for biden to step down, that is a decision that he has got to make himself. and at the moment, as of right now, he is nowhere close to that. we spoke to multiple people close to the president today, and he is not in that frame of mind. he thinks it was just one bad night and he can ride it through to november. and also, with respect to the convention, look, what are democrats going to do? president biden when those primary states. he's got those primary states. he's got those delegates. you can'tjust take them away from him. you can'tjust put up a new candidate. the only way biden is not the nominee on the democratic ticket is if biden himself stepped down, and that is just nowhere close to happening. with less than five days until the uk general election, prime minister rishi sunak and opposition leader keir starmer have been out campaigning on defence and support for veterans. at an event in london earlier, the labour leader warned that nothing had yet been decided even though opinion poll suggested labour was on course to win. visiting a temple on saturday night, the prime minister said his hindu faith guides him in public service and said he is proud that the uk is the well�*s most successful multi—ethnic, multifaith community, adding we should all be uplifted by that. meanwhile, reform uk has withdrawn support from three of its candidates because of offensive comments they reportedly made. our political correspondent reports. the finishing line is in sight. we've had the manifestos, the pitches and promises. now the campaigns are all about persuading supporters to get out and vote. change is possible. most of all, they need to be convinced. to vote for it because change doesn't happen unless you vote for it. labour's leader, sir keir starmer, has been rallying his party at an event in london this evening. there is a buzz within labour, confident but terrified of complacency too, far ahead in the opinion polls, but knowing it still needs to mobilise the party's voters. rishi sunak has been on the stump tonight too, at a temple in west london. the conservatives have spent the last few weeks defending the seats they currently hold and warning voters not to risk a change of government. education, hard work, family. those are my values, those are your values, those are conservative values. still having more fun than any other leader on the campaign trail, the liberal democrats' ed davey began his final tour of the country in scotland. we're here to win as many seats as we can, because if we have lots of liberal democrat mps in the next parliament, we will be able to get changes in our nhs and care system. we will be able to tackle the sewage scandal. meanwhile, the snp leader said only his party would stand up to spending cuts at westminster. people will only get that if they vote for| the scottish national party and elect a strong group . of snp mps. one thing that has united all party leaders today is fierce criticism of reform uk. this was a comedy act, but it was designed to hurt us. and sadly, sadly, some people believe it. i've always been a tory voter. what annoys me... nigel farage has insisted a reform uk canvasser racially insulting rishi sunak in an undercover report for channel 4 was a set up. channel 4 has again strongly rejected that claim, saying it was rigorous, impartialjournalism. but last night mr farage was also challenged about racist or offensive comments made by three of his candidates. the party now says they've been dropped. you know, we've been running, as it were, to catch up with the electoral timetable. and it seems that we have made some mistakes, but we've, you know, corrected those mistakes to the extent possible at this stage by dropping those candidates. but as we speed towards polling day, this is not the sort of scrutiny reform uk wants. to iran, which will hold a run—off election after the lowest turnout in decades. voters will choose between the conservative candidate and the reformist candidate on the fifth ofjuly. both failed to secure a majority in the first round, which saw only about 40% of iranians vote. that is a record low since the 1979 islamic revolution. the election will decide who replaces the president who was killed in a helicopter crash last month, along with around's foreign minister and six other people. i spoke the run—off presidential elections within a iranian american journalist and seniorfellow at the iranian american journalist and senior fellow at the centre for policy. what more can you tell us about these two candidates now in this runoff election and the pretty big differences between them? as you said, one of them, saeed jalili, a former nuclear negotiator and ultra hardliner and conservative belonging to the core of that hardline faction of the regime, and by many believed to be the favourite or one of the top favourite candidates for the supreme leader on the hardline side of the regime. massoud pezeshkian, a former health minister in the reformist administration, the reformist president, is a reformist. a five times member of parliament, it was a surprise even that he was allowed to run for the that he was qualified for the election as a sole reformist candidate. the expectation was nobody would be able to run for that he essentially brought this upset result, the surprise result and is leading. he is not the winner, not the president yet. they have to go to a runoff, but he came out with the highest number of votes. in an election as you said with the lowest voter turnout for the you said you are surprised that massoud pezeshkian did as well as he did. he seen as a reformist what does that actually mean in iran? i've heard he is someone who's actually spoken out against the against the way the regime has treated some of those protesters seen in recent years. if we look at what is allowed within the system, the regime of the islamic republic, what's considered legal opposition, these reformist factions within the regime or the relative moderates have different economic, political, social and cultural policies and views when it comes to the comparison with the hardliners. and obviously the conservatives. they're seen as the more liberal faction within the islamic republic. and massoud pezeshkian is one of those without the economic policies he promotes, foreign policy, as far as relations with the world, talking to the world, not fighting everyone, not in conflict with everyone, with our neighbours, as he says. and also critical of the social and cultural policies including the morality police. as he says, the way women and girls are being treated on the street, which is also a reference to the death of mo salah nearly two years ago. the turnout for this preliminary round was not very high. there seems to be a big movement to boycott. do you think people might come off the sidelines if they have a chance to vote for somebody who they see is a reformist? well, dealing with hybrid apathy for all these reasons without a lot of grievances that the state is not responding. they've also closed the space for what were relatively competitive elections in the past by eliminating an disqualifying reformist and moderate candidates, and reallyjust giving very few options to the constituents to choose. and also, protest after protest has been met with violent crackdowns and really brutality by the state. this high level of apathy is seen in the low turnout at this presidential election and the one before. but the runoff usually has a specific feel to it. maybe part of the constituency of the voters of the reformist will realise that their vote is really critical right now. that massoud pezeshkian was indeed able to pass through that filtering, that he was able to deliver this leading vote within that framework for them and that if they don't come to the ballots they will have to live with someone like saeed jalili, an ultraconservative, very hardline candidate for the next four to eight years of their lives. there is potential that massoud pezeshkian can pull this off and even come off as the winner in the runoff next week. if you could just remind us, it has been an interesting time for iran, just embroiled in all kinds of turmoil. just remind us about the background of what iran is going through in these elections. well, coming out of about a year of protest, the freedom protests and the incarceration of the young woman by the morality police two years ago. iran is indirectly involved in the middle east war and what's going on between israel and notjust hamas but the so—called axis of resistance to our allies and supported by iran. economic sanctions, very strict economic sanctions have been impacting the countries economy, in time but my combined with corruption. all themes that have been discussed in debates but nevertheless not able to bring a big majority of voters to the polls. palestinian health officials say israeli strikes have killed people on saturday. two soldiers were killed in fighting in a neighbourhood on friday. both hamas and islamic jihad say they are fighting israeli forces. united nations humanitarian agency estimates to 80,000 palestinians were displaced this weekend and people are living in unbearable conditions. one senior official based in neighbouring lebanon said on saturday that negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal with israel have not made any progress. a report by the us media outlet axios said us officials have now drafted new proposals to bridge the gap between israel and hamas. un aid workers have begun to move tons of food and essential supplies have piled up at the us year of the gaza coast to warehouses. the temporary pier, which was designed to provide aid access to gaza, was once again removed because of high seas. it is the third time since it became operational in mid—may that weather conditions have forced the pier to be detached from the gaza coast. meanwhile, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in tel aviv on saturday demanding the release of hostages being held in gaza after eight months of war. processes carried photos of hostages, called for the immediate ceasefire and releasable hostages. the bbc reports a total of 116 remain unaccounted for after being kidnapped by hamas on the seventh of october of last year. let's ta ke let's take a look at some other stories making headlines. at least 18 people were killed and 30 others injured after a series of explosions in nigeria's north—eastern state on saturday. that according to the head of the local state emergency management agency. the exact cause of the unknown at this time, some local media reporting that at least one explosion was due to a suicide bomb attack. a police officer was hit in the neck with a crossbow arrow outside the israeli embassy in the serbian capital, belgrade, on saturday morning. the country's interior minister says the official was shot, that the officer then shot and killed the attacker. the country's president called it a terrorist attack. �*s dom barry has become a major hurricane in the atlantic ocean. it is forecast to bring life—threatening winds and storm surges according to the us hurricane centre. hurricane beryl is moving towards the southeast caribbean and a hurricane warning has been issued for barbados, where officials have warned of flash flooding and power outages. and some 200,000 people are expected over the weekend at the glastonbury festival. that is under way right now in somerset. since it began in 1970, it has become one of the longest running music events in the world. this year's performers include coldplay, dua lipa and shania twain. officials in kenya calling for more protests. kenya's defence minister says the army will remain on the streets until karmis restored following weeks of unrest and political turmoil, following weeks of unrest and politicalturmoil, but following weeks of unrest and political turmoil, but human rights groups warned that using force could worsen the situation on the ground. at least 23 protesters were killed at the peak of the demonstrations on tuesday when activists broke into the parliament building and set part of it on fire. the law society of kenya says an intelligence police unit abducted an estimated 35 people suspected of leading those protests. on wednesday the president said all of them have been released, but the law society believes at least ten activists are still reportedly missing. the bbc is working to verify those reports. for more i spoke to ernest cornell, the kenya human rights commission official, about what it has been like in nairobi. i understand that you are on the front lines covering these process and the government response. can you first of all just tell us what did you personally witness? so just tell us what did you personally witness? so what i witnessed _ personally witness? so what i witnessed was _ personally witness? so what i witnessed was a _ personally witness? so what i witnessed was a large - personally witness? so what i | witnessed was a large number personally witness? so what i i witnessed was a large number of young kenyans coming out on the street to protest the high taxes that were proposed in the finance bill of 202a. what i witnessed on the street was police using live ammunition to take out peaceful protesters who were asking the government, who were asking the government, who are asking their mps and the president, to reject the deal. i witnessed police shooting five protesters outside parliament, and two of them died instantly. one of the persons who were shot dead had his head blustered off. another one was hit and he died on the spot. the three that i witnessed getting shot were... the other three were put into an ambulance and rushed to the hospital. these young protesters were chanting anti— finance bill slogans all through the nairobi streets. i witnessed police tossing teargas to them, using water cannons to try and disperse them, and also in some instances firing stun grenades. these groups were largely peaceful, and this piece was momentarily interfered with when police started using force. , ., , ., when police started using force. , ., ., , force. given what you have 'ust described �* force. given what you have 'ust described there, i force. given what you have 'ust described there, what i force. given what you have just described there, what does - force. given what you have just | described there, what does your organisation make of the government response? and what are you asking or calling on the government to do now? what the government to do now? what we are asking _ the government to do now? what we are asking is _ the government to do now? what we are asking is for— we are asking is for accountability. the life of a human being cannot be lost without accountability. whoever pulled the trigger must be held accountable, and it is not only that person who pulled the trigger must be held accountable, but also their bosses, the command. that person must be held accountable.- person must be held accountable. ~ ., ., , accountable. we have also been heafina accountable. we have also been hearing reports _ accountable. we have also been hearing reports that _ accountable. we have also been hearing reports that the - accountable. we have also been hearing reports that the bbc - accountable. we have also been hearing reports that the bbc is l hearing reports that the bbc is working to independently verify that there have been abductions in kenya as well, surrounding these protests, allegedly carried out by a police unit. can you tell us any more about that? , ,., ., can you tell us any more about that? , ., ., ,, .,, can you tell us any more about that? , ., .,, ., that? yes, so what appears to be happening _ that? yes, so what appears to be happening is _ that? yes, so what appears to be happening is that _ that? yes, so what appears to be happening is that security i be happening is that security forces in kenya were rounding up forces in kenya were rounding up people that they thought were influential in mobilising for this protest. these are mostly people who have a huge following in their online presence, and on tiktok. so i went to the demonstration on tuesday and most of them were abducted. by the time they were released, the demonstration had already taken place. this was contrary to the law, because the law says that if someone is arrested for justifiable crimes, they need to be produced before a court of law within 2a hours. but there are instances where people are arrested and not reduced in court for the next 2a hours, only later to be released without any charge. we think and we believe that these were intimidation tactics so that they could not effectively mobilise people to come out to the streets and protest the punitive taxes that are contained in the finance bill. a kenyan government spokesperson has said, quote, criminal elements who wanted a coup d'etat used in these peaceful protests to their advantage. we do know that protesters stormed the parliament building and part of it was set on fire. there were several lawmakers that reportedly ran to safety in an underground tunnel. given all of that, could it be argued that the use of force during these demonstration �*s was justified? these demonstration 's was justified?— these demonstration 's was 'ustified? ., ., ., justified? know, at no point was the use _ justified? know, at no point was the use of _ justified? know, at no point was the use of force - justified? know, at no point. was the use of force justified, and when that government spokesperson said that there was a coup d'etat, i don't know whether that was the case. using force against an —— en protesters is just u naccepta ble. protesters is just unacceptable. yes, there were reports of violence and the reports of violence and the reports that these largely peaceful demonstrations that were led by a young kenyans could have had ulterior motives. but then police are trained to control for such account. they are not allowed to use force to eliminate someone's lives.- to use force to eliminate someone's lives. ~ ., ., someone's lives. we have heard that president _ someone's lives. we have heard that president ruto _ someone's lives. we have heard that president ruto has - someone's lives. we have heard that president ruto has pledged to withdraw this finance bill. do you think that could satisfy this protest movement? the finance bill— this protest movement? the finance bill is _ this protest movement? the finance bill isjust _ this protest movement? tue: finance bill isjust one finance bill is just one aspect. people are complaining about governance. people are complaining about corruption. people are complaining about ruto being in government. people are complaining about wastefulness. people are complaining that the promises that were made in 2020 is you are not being met. so that is just one aspect of it, and i am sure people will keep agitating for more. �* ., ., ., for more. before we go, i want to show you — for more. before we go, i want to show you a _ for more. before we go, i want to show you a unique _ for more. before we go, i want to show you a unique event - for more. before we go, i want| to show you a unique event that is taking place right here in the us. this is called the greasy pole contest. it has been held annually in the waters just off gloucester in massachusetts. the aim is to make it all the way to the end of that slippery pole there and grab the flag. it is 45 feet or 35 metres away. as you can see, there have been plenty of valiant events here, but success is rare. that guy didn't make it very far. it's not as impossible as it seems. there was some success. take a look at this. this is max allen making his way. he got the flag at the end. it's slippery, but it is possible. he made it back to shore to a hero's welcome. apparently the competition continues until sunday, when an overall champion will be crowned. i don't think that's the sport for me. i will stick to the desk right here in washington. we have much more news coming up at the top of the hour. stay tuned right here in bbc news. hello. thanks forjoining me. let's see what the weather's got in store for the rest of the weekend. and here's the headline — for most of us, it's not looking too bad. some sunshine, but at times it will be cloudy. could be a few showers as well. now, recently there was a weather front across northern wales and northern england. it brought some damp weather on saturday. that should be mostly out of the way come sunday, as this ridge of high pressure tries to build across the uk. remnants of that weather front still visible in the morning across east anglia and the south—east, all the way to south—western parts of england. so quite cloudy, with some spits and spots of rain for a time. 16 in london. north of that, i think sunshine to greet us in the morning. through the morning into the afternoon those cumulus clouds will be developing and then eventually spreading, so i think it is going to be quite a cloudy afternoon for many of us during sunday. some showers as well, possible almost anywhere. your best bet for sunny skies is actually around coastal areas, almost anywhere, especially looking out to sea — blue skies. temperatures 20 in london, high teens further north. nothing spectacular, and actually similar temperatures and weather for the football in germany. ok, onto the forecasts now for monday. another weather front approaches from the west. this is going to bring thick cloud and some outbreaks of rain initially to northern ireland, to scotland, the irish sea, and then eventually that weather front will move eastwards across the country. so i think most of us are in at least for a little bit of rain. a short spell of rain on monday, but come the afternoon, skies all brighten across western areas of the uk, so there will be some clearer skies towards the end of monday. it may take time for that weather front to clear the east coast. and then the azores high still here on tuesday and indeed wednesday, but we're just on the edge of that high pressure and often on the edge of high pressures there's a lot of cloud. good chance of catching a shower, and that's pretty much what we've got on tuesday. i think your best bet for the dry, sunny weather will be further southwest on tuesday, for example in plymouth and in cardiff, whereas in the north west of england, the chance of a few showers. so here's the week at a glance. if you want really warm weather, it's not so great because temperatures are below the average. if you like cloudy, changeable, cool weather, well, it's perfect for you. bye— bye. voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. my my daughters are very different. marieme is very quiet, very reserved, introverted personality. is completely different, ndeye. she is completely independent. she is completely independent. she want to be in charge of everything. to have conjoined twins as a parent, you have something that you didn't expect.