Eleanor and taylor this is the news hour live from london coming up. The catalan president says catalonia has the right to become its own state but stopped short of declaring independence. Kenyas Opposition Leader now says hes withdrawing from the president ial election rerun. In liberia where polls are just closing as a country votes to elect their next president. Ten dead more than one hundred people injured and twenty thousand evacuated as wildfires spread in the u. S. State of california. With the latest sports news including syrians world cup dreams come to an end theyre beaten in extra time by australia who are one step closer to russia twenty eight to. Begin in spain where in the past the catalan president praised him on that catalonia has earned the right to become its own state but stopped short of declaring independence outright in a speech for the Catalan Parliament to call for a deescalation of tension and said he was ready for dialogue with the Spanish Government he said millions of catalan citizens believe catalonia should have its own state and that he had a clear mandate to declare independence the government has room to act on any attempt to divide the country. As president its my responsibility to declare that catalonia should become an independent state in the shape of a report. We asked the parliament to suspend any effects of the declaration of independence so that we can have dialogue and so that we can find the necessary solution we need to lower tensions and show our will and commitment to meet the demands of the catalan people were covering the story from both sides lawrence lee is in madrid but first lets go to jonah whole whos outside the Catalan Parliament in barcelona so what does this do this declaration that suspend the effects of independence to negotiate where does that put us. Puts us in a bit of a Holding Pattern really lauren and a Holding Pattern with no timeframe on it because mr policeman has not given any sense of how long he expects this period of dialogue to last if indeed madrid accepts the idea of dialogue at all. Will be a lot of people of course will be very disappointed that there wasnt an outcry declaration of independence but therell be a lot of people possibly a lot more people whod be very relieved at this point because whether they supported independence or nocht a lot of people didnt want it to happen in this way a dramatic gesture and open defiance of threats from madrid that would have invited potentially catastrophic consequences here in catalonia at least there is time now for tensions to deescalate that is to put them on said was one of his key goals here let me bring in sanya shes a lecturer in International Politics at the university of barcelona asone we spoke earlier. What do you make of what happened here is it a good outcome do you think im not sure there were any good or wrong outcomes today but i would say its a soft onset which as i have understood from the president s words its cutting it continues and its past independence its not going to stop but its not going to happen today or tonight so as you just said many people was waiting for that but i think its going to give some time for potential mediation now what is not clear is that spain keeps rejecting it and now i think its going to be their turn for the Spanish Government to say if they want to take this lead and sit down and talk what we know theyll be some sort of an event tomorrow in madrid when we might hear more but do you think theyve had. Thoughts conversations about what is a plan b. In other words if madrid were to simply say no as they have as you say you said in the past unless you completely and utterly drop this claim for independence will be no talk what i mean is that. Then we would be again in the very high peak of the conflict which is the worst place where all the artists can be not only catalonia also spain and my biggest concern is that it seems that spain is not really aware that its also in a big problem its not only cut along this problem because whatever happens as a government as a state you do have a problem there with the region with a huge part of people who are now requesting for more action to happen. Probably tomorrow in madrid opposition is going to feel high years saying look he didnt go for the more ten spot so its our turn to dialogue and i think the opposition is going to be stronger in this sense in pushing for mediation ok so youre going to have to leave it there for the time being thanks so much for that insight and that is where we leave things for the time being anywhere outside the couple only in parliament a period now of time for talk to happen and the absolute declaration of independence put off jonah hill in boston a thank you lawrence lee is live outside the Spanish Parliament in madrid to put him on no wants to talk and hes to talk want to talk to madrid but he also wants to have perhaps International Mediation how do you think this is going to play out in the next few days. Well immediately lauren the answer is not particularly well. Open hand of friendship to madrid coming so it was spoken in spanish as we were saying is not being reciprocated understand of the moment by madrid one of the National Newspapers here in literally in the last thirty seconds the Spanish Government has said it regards the speech as a declaration of independence and so if anybody thought that it would lead madrid to have a change of heart or turn around and say oh yes all right lets have a political negotiation after all it seems like that that was wrong lets bring in. An m. P. And rick about say yeah from the center left party thank you very much for telling me so you think. The spanish Prime Minister will not be impressed with. You know spain many people. Between. Independence and the possibility of suspension of catalonian if. So i think put them on move on. Possibility of a negotiation some kind of dialogue mediation and i think you know should should try to whole. Thing was. Catalonia as well as one small victory because this is a political negotiation not a legal as painless of course is. Needed now in the long is well enough. Many people here. I think. They can solve the problem is with negotiation some kind of mediation. Its the case that the European Commission put pressure on. Step back dont do it today. But step back and leave. Who now are the people to say to the Spanish Government you know have to step back as well from your position and you must negotiate he says that scenario in language that he can understand well if you can. Reach a political solution and now i think a little bit late because. Of this party i really. Of the problems. In a d. M. Many other people are the parties of mediation. Important powers should. Thank you very much indeed for your time one very final thought of course of the European Union wanted to say this but its governments you need to do is sort this out the way to say it is its about stability and unity in a year in which the the far right and forces of separation been fought off the last thing they want is a divided spain at the end of twenty seventeen. Thank you very much indeed. Kenyas Opposition Leader has withdrawn from the president ial election just over two weeks before the rerun is scheduled to take place in a statement announcing the move he said his withdrawal would allow the Electoral Commission enough time to introduce reforms to help deliver a more credible election have been numerous protests. Incumbent president. As the winner of the almost eight election. On the twenty sixth will go ahead despite his decision. In the president ial election. First follow the notification of the president ial election and if organs turn to seventeen and the subsequent because it bent by the commission of the undersigned as president ial candidate and the running mate for the first election that you have. For twenty six of top twenty seventeen here by the draw kind of which are we immediate effect one the senates going to Katherine Sawyer in nairobi see do we have a clear idea as to why i made this move given that he had actually argued for and went to court to get a new election. Absolutely but let me just first start by saying lauren or the Electoral Commission i. E. B. C. Are currently in a crisis meeting with their lawyers to i guess try and understand what happens next try and understand what happens to the election that they are planning for the twenty sixth thats it and back to your answer yes. Went to court and with the petition and the court and all the electors a lot of people are asking then why should he take ten years through all this hes going to withdraw but he has said that the reason why hes the withdrawing his candidature is because the Election Commission has not been listening to the demands of the opposition have been making for example the opposition has been saying that they need some individuals within the a. B. C. The Electoral Commission who oversaw the last election removed they also once sat in companies that were charged with transmission of the result as well as printing ballot papers replaced so clearly that has not happened the Electoral Commission saying that there really is very little time for implementing some of these demands which they call and reasonable. Saying that he then will not participate in a fraudulent election election that that in giving him a level of playing ground and ive been speaking to about what this means Going Forward obviously people are very concerned asking ok will there really be an election on the twenty sixth either there is no election whats going to happen thereafter so we really are lauren in unchartered territory the constitution is very unclear about what happens now the constitution doesnt even in these age a situation where a reelection is not held within this sixty days stipulated by the low ive been speaking to lawyers who say that what is really needed now is a to go back to the Supreme Court really for clarity and there action because right now everything really is up in the air thank you very much. Much more on this news hour from london including why a military crackdown isnt the only reason that muslim refugees are fleeing me in mar. Rebuilding after i saw we visit Northern Iraq to see that its not just the towns that are still bearing the scars from the groups legacy. And sport argentina face the prospect of missing out on a first world cup since the one nine hundred seventy. Homes have just closed for voters to cast their ballots in liberias president ial election Ellen Johnson sirleaf is stepping down after two terms in office the Nobel Peace Prize winner was africas first female elected head of state twenty candidates are taking part in the poll including former football star george were going to dress has more from the capital monrovia. The tunnel for the election was very impressive. Enthusiastic and passionate about the next administration they want to see a new government that can address the Critical Issues in their lives funding infrastructure like roads Health Care Education and of course building relative fees in liberia over the last twelve years or so now and also because. Of their homes very early in the morning to be on the queues. For hours and get into the ballot box they were told that they came to the wrong place and they would not be allowed to vote the Election Commission stepped in quickly to address some of these issues and other polling stations the boarding process went to. The house of representatives elections that are seventy three seats up for grabs and the president whoever wins must have two percent of the vote in order to avoid a Runoff Election results are expected to be announced on the twenty fifth of october and not beyond in case of runoff then. For the runoff of the top two contenders to the president ial. West and. Joins us from washington d. C. Thank you for being with us so huge number of candidates here do you see anyone emerging as. I think its really hard to say who is going to win so soon there will definitely be a runoff because there are twenty candidates but i would say that the two prominent candidates are obviously georgia. Who is in International Soccer player he run against Johnson Sirleaf in two thousand and five he almost won the election so hes running again with a running mate who is a woman. And there is also dr joseph who is the current Vice President of Ellen Johnson sirleaf who is running under the banner the you need to party so these are in my opinion the two candidates who might go into a runoff in a couple of weeks and if the winds are going to huge amount on their plate and they get to work through some of the issues that are still big and not very easy even after the kind of the progress that happened in austria years. So i would say that the first major challenge that the new president will have is to rebuild the Health System you might remember a couple of years ago when the outbreak raged through liberia over five thousand iberians lost their lives and due to the able outbreak the entire Health System collapsed so the new president will have to to rebuild that Health System also. Has been a donor driven country for decades so the economy will have to be rebuilt infrastructure will have to be rebuilt the Education System as well so even though Ellen Johnson sirleaf was able to keep stability and peace over those past twelve years the new president will have. Big shoes to fill but also will have a lot of challenges on his plate you mentioned big shoes to fill tell us a little bit about the legacy of johnsons family. Well so there are some some obvious ones shes the first african elected women president and of all a Nobel Prize Winner someone who was able to win the confidence of the trust of her people after fourteen years of civil war so this is huge on the International Scene however within liberia i think that the feelings are are mixed. The corruption has been rampant in liberia over the past ten years there have been allegations of nepotism. And so those are are some of the dark sides of an endurance and certainly some rule but again she was able to maintain peace and stability in a country that just came out of the civil war i think thats a huge feat can be taken mara thank you very much indeed for sharing your thoughts on know the elections in liberia thank you thank you. You know nation says eleven thousand people crossed from me in mind to bangladesh on monday as numbers of refugees continue to grow the u. N. High commission for refugees says its on full alert over the influx of ranger into bangladesh becomes a major color Immunization Campaign gets underway near coxs bazaar and protecting newly arrived refugees all in half a Million People have fled me in ma in the past six weeks after a violent government crackdown havent come june as the latest from coxs bias are in bangladesh which is near the border with me and. A dramatic increase in the number of our hindu refugees crossing from me and more into bangladesh the u. N. H. C. R. Is said they are investigating reports that at least ten thousand more refugees have crossed from me and more into bangladesh in the past few days it is hard to confirm these numbers exactly but in local media reports since yesterday many local government officials have said that in different areas that thousands of refugees have come in and that there has definitely been a surge since last week when the numbers of ranger refugees that were crossing per day from me an hour into bangladesh had waned now in the camps that we have been visiting conditions are extremely dire today in this makeshift camp its the start of a cholera Immunization Campaign the reason for that groups like the w. H. O. And unicef in coordination with the Bangladeshi Health ministry theyre trying to take these measures preventive didley to vaccinate the many refugees against cholera now in this first phase which begins today were told that it is expected that at least six hundred and fifty thousand refugees will be vaccinated after that phase ins next week then another phase will begin a bit later more will be vaccinated you know conditions in these camps are absolutely atrocious they are extremely unhygenic and thats one of the reasons aid workers and Health Workers have been concerned that there could be a full on Health Crisis and there could be epidemic spreading and the disease is spreading if they dont get this under control. But human rights organizations are warning that hunger is also forcing muslim refugees to free man ma as well as the Police Crackdown aid agencies fear that a lack of food is leading to another wave of displacement arab women and reports. This was meant to be an interfaith prayer rally but it quickly became clear it was a show of support for a government facing