Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC 20240703

The House Oversight committee has uncovered how the bidens and their associates created over 20 Shell Companies most of which were created Whenjoe Biden was Vice President and raked in over 20 million. Now, what were the Bidens Selling to make all this money . Joe biden himself. So, lets get it straight. Were 62 hours away from shutting down the government of the United States of america and republicans are launching an Impeachment Drive based on a long debunked and discredited lie. Witnesses said theres no evidence President Biden committed impeachable offences. Several previous investigations, including one by the justice department, havent found any evidence that mr biden abused his role or accepted bribes. Well, for more on the Impeachment Inquiry a little earlier with House Oversight Committee Member Democratic Representative jasmine crockett. Congresswoman, very good to have you on bbc news today. What did you think of what you saw presented at the impeachment enquiry today . Scoffs. Im not really sure what was presented. You know, there were no fact witnesses that were brought forward and i would anticipate in an impeachment enquiry where they are lacking any evidence that they would try to bring witnesses that could bring evidence. Their witnesses admitted that they had no evidence to bring and, in fact, their witnesses admitted that, at this point in time, there was nothing that they had seen that would lead them to believe that there was enough to move forward with anything on the president. So, unfortunately, ifelt like this was yet another hearing in oversight in which the taxpayer dollars were wasted. So, the man leading this committee, of course, james comer, has said they are using this opportunity to look into more evidence and he also said that they have released a timeline ahead of todays hearing that shows Influence Peddling in the biden family and that the biden family and their associates have received more than 20 million in payments from foreign entities. Do you have concerns about how that money might have been used to possibly influence the president . I do not have any concerns, and im gonna tell you why. Ive been sitting on this committee since i swore into congress and if they had the evidence, it wouldve come out already. They are not waiting for the evidence to just show up. I mean, they dont have it. We know that any of the fact witnesses that they have talked to have been unable to connect the president , joe biden, to any wrongdoing and when we are talking about an impeachment, the impeachment is about the officeholder, its about the president. It is not about his Family Members and, honestly, thank goodness its not about Family Members because we know of another president that may have a few issues if it were about his associates of Family Members. It is about the president. If there was evidence, it wouldve been brought forward by now and weve yet to uncover any evidence. And i do want to reiterate, we have had opportunities to speak with actual fact witnesses and those fact witnesses, the best that they could do was provide innuendo. Innuendo does not meet the standard. So, congresswoman, if thats the case, why not let the enquiry run its course and reveal that there hasnt been any wrongdoing . Because its one of those things that, for whatever reason, they would love to put their spin on and if we do not go ahead and confront the misinformation and the disinformation as it is being spewed out of their mouths, then thats what they will do. They will continue to lie to the American People, like we have seen the maga republicans do. And so, unfortunately, there was a lot that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle had a lot to say but we had to educate and or remind the American People that what my colleagues say isnt evidence and the witnesses that they brought also are not fact witnesses, so they cannot provide any evidence. We have to make sure that we hold their feet to the fire and we dont start changing what the standard for impeachment. There are just a few days left for congress to avoid a shutdown. We know that Kevin Mccarthy is trying to reach a deal with the far right of his party, the hardliners, republicans. Are you confident that a shutdown could be averted . Oh, no, i absolutely anticipate we are going to be shut down and when we shut down down, it will be because mccarthy literally is unable to make sure that this Republican Party can govern. And the reason that i tell you this so confidently is number one, they have not passed the 12 Appropriations Bills that are necessary thats number one. Weve not even come close to even all hearing or laying out 12 Appropriations Bills. Then, the backup would be a continuing resolution that also has not been put forth. So, how do we avoid a shutdown . Our only way of avoiding a shutdown with the time thats left on the clock is if we take up the continuing resolution that has been passed in the senate in a bipartisan way and the speakers already said. Crosstalk. And congresswoman, if i could jump in there to ask you about those continuing resolutions because we spoke to a colleague of yours from the other side of the aisle, republican congressman tim burchett earlier this week and he said, look, we get here every year and im not going to vote for another continuing resolution because its time to actually pass a budget bill and cut spending. Whats your response to that . Listen, i mean, i dont necessarily disagree. The problem is that the democrats arent in control and so, whats happened is they have not passed the 12 Appropriations Bills. So, the idea that we should just shut down because of their ineptness is a problem because that is hurting our economy, that is hurting Government Workers and that is hurting all of our constituents that rely on the federal government to continue to function. So, this isnt on us, you know . And the question to pose to them is why havent you laid out your 12 Appropriations Bills . And they havent. So, what can we do if they havent done theirjob . Our only fallback is a continuing resolution and right now, theyve not even put that on the floor. So, the only way to keep the government open is if we follow the lead of the us senate, who has actually passed a continuing resolution and theyre sending it over and it will be timely, but they are not going to take it up. And one more question youre on the House Aerospace caucus and we know the federal Aviation Administration is faced with a possible lapse in its statutory authorisation that would be the First Time Since 2011. Can you just quickly tell us what the impact of a shutdown would be on flying . Well, let me be clear about this it was air Traffic Controllers who saved us the last time there was a shutdown because we are the air Traffic Controllers fall under ourjurisdiction and those are federal employees, so for all those planes that we need flying, whether they are flying people because theyre going on vacation, because theyre going on business or because they are involved in our supply chain, that all has a direct effect on if we will be able to continue Business As Usual and as far as im concerned, the answer is an emphatic no. Not to mention that right now, air Traffic Controllers are down 30 . We have already heard from them that the shutdown will affect those that are in training. That means that we will be further behind on even trying to get to the capacity that we need to make sure that we are safe as we are flying. Congresswoman, thank you so much forjoining us with your insights on bbc news today. Thank you. As the Impeachment Inquiry got under way on capitol hill, President Biden was visiting the Election Battleground State of arizona. In a speech honouring the late republican senatorjohn mccain, with whom mr biden was very close, the president Accused Former President Donald Trump of plotting to subvert the Us Constitution and branded him a danger to democracy. Democracy means rule of the people, not rule of monarchs, not rule of the money, not rule of the mighty. Regardless of party, that means respecting free and fair elections. Accepting the outcome, win or lose. It means you cany love your country only when you win. Cheering and applause. Democracy means rejecting and repudiating political violence, regardless of party. Such violence is never, never Never Acceptable in america its undemocratic as for the former president himself, donald trump and his team saw some legal developments on thursday. Mr trumps lawyers say he will not seek to move a criminal case in georgia from a state court to a federal court. The former president denies the allegations that he was part of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 president ial election results. Meanwhile, a court in new york rejected mr trumps attempt to delay a civil fraud trial against him. Proceedings are now due to begin on monday with a judge already ruling that mr trump repeatedly overstated the value of his business empire. Dutch police have arrested a 32 year old gunman after three people were shot dead in rotterdam. The gunman first fired shots at a house, then at a University Medical centre. Fires broke out at both locations. Police believe the gunman was acting alone and say his motive is unclear. Anna holligan sent this update. The suspect has been named tonight by the justice department. Tonight by thejustice department. He is a student. Rotterdam Student Community is in shock and one of their own members suspect that of multiple killings, one of their teachers among the dead. Staff here at the Arrester Beds Medical Centre say the killings have left a scar on the entire community. A place where people learn how to save lives but he came to take them. The suspected gunman was a student studying at the erasmus university, which is affiliated with the hospital. As shots rang out, staff were rapidly evacuated, some pushing their patients to safety. Others, terrified and trapped, taped calls for help to hospital windows. We cant get out. We heard that there was a shooting first. We all had to stay inside and then suddenly. We all had to go outside. I was working with children and we had to get them all out of the consulting rooms and then, we ran outside. Elite police units, including snipers, stormed the hospital as the suspect rampaged through. A 43 year old male lecturer was shot dead in one of the classrooms. Footage has emerged showing a man in Camouflage Clothing being taken from the Hospital Building in handcuffs. A mile away, this was the site of the first shooting. Hes suspected of killing a woman who was 39 and her 14 year old daughter, then lighting a fire. The motives are still unclear. All the indications are he was acting alone. Anna holligan, bbc news, rotterdam. Now to the crisis in Nagorno Karabakh. The separatist leader of the region declared an end to the struggle for independence from azerbaijan, concluding more than 30 years of separatist rule. More than 70,000 Ethnic Armenians thats well over half the population have now left for neighbouring armenia. Nagorno karabakh is located between azerbaijan and armenia. The territory was seized by Azerbaijani Forces in a Military Operation last week. It is internationally recognised as part of azerbaijan. Those Fleeing Fear Persecution but azerbaijan has rejected accusations of ethnic cleansing. Our Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford has more. The children of Nagorno Karabakh have known two wars in their short lives. Now, theyve fled as refugees. The land they grew up on has been disputed for decades but for them, it was just home. Theirfather, gevorg, fought for karabakh in 2020 and again last week, so i ask how he feels about leaving, about surrender. Translation very bad. Terribly bad. Should it have been done differently . Could you have got more help . What else could we do . I dont know. Im too upset. I cant answer these questions. The Armenian Border town of goris has taken in so many refugees, some are sleeping in their cars vehicles that now carry a lifes worth of possessions. The exodus happened so quickly, many here still seem stunned. There is a giant scramble to help the tens of thousands in need, including the most vulnerable. Donations are flooding in, scooped up by exhausted families whove often travelled for days to reach here. Sophia and angelina are still recovering from their trip and from a day under fire in their village, right on the front line. Mariams husband was hit by shrapnel then, but he didnt want to be filmed. The family are being hosted by a woman who fled Nagorno Karabakh in the last war. Now, shes helping a new wave of refugees. Today, they all saw the official decree that their separatist republic, which they call artsakh, was being dissolved. Translation 30 years building our lives there, j then they say there is no artsakh any more. That is a tragedy for the armenian people. But we have no strength left to fight because we were left alone. We were abandoned. Nagorno karabakh is rapidly emptying out. But as they go, the Ethnic Armenians are not only leaving their homes and their property, they are also surrendering their long dream of independence. We are here in gorris tonight and this Refugee Reception Centre is extremely busy as families continue to arrive right through the night. If armenia could do more to support Nagorno Karabakh politically and militarily than it is certainly going all out with the aid effort and the need here is enormous with today the Prime Minister saying he believed everyone, all Ethnic Armenians, would leave Nagorno Karabakh, that the nagorno kara bakh, that the enclave Nagorno Karabakh, that the enclave would be emptied out and suddenly tonight here in this border town, thats how it feels. Sarah rainsford reporting for us there. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. Swedens Prime Minister has summoned the head of the armed forces to help address a surge in gang killings. In a televised address, Ulf Kristersson said the country is witnessing an unprecedented rise in violent crime. He was speaking after three people were killed in separate incidents overnight on wednesday. A trial started in california on thursday into allegations that teslas autopilot feature was responsible for the death of a driver. The firm is accused of selling the car, despite knowing that the system was defective. Tesla denies this, saying its not clear that the autopilot feature was being used at the time of the crash. The verdict could shape similar cases across the us. More than 2,500 migrants died or went missing while trying to cross the mediterranean to europe so far in 2023. Thats according to new data from the un high commissioner for refugees. The number marks a significant increase over the same period in 2022. Hundreds of thousands of migrants every year, make the perilous journey from the tunisian and libyan coasts. You are watching bbc news. Turning to the war in ukraine, and iranian Kamikaze Drones used in the latest attacks on ukrainian cities are filled with european components. Thats according to a secret document sent by kyiv to its western allies. The document, obtained by the guardian newspaper, claims there have been more than 600 raids on ukrainian cities using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that contain western technology, injust the past three months. Ukraine is also using drones to great effect. In an Opinion Piece for Time Magazine this week, will roper, former the us Assistant Secretary of the air force, and former google ceo eric schmidt, write that rather than hardware, ukraine should focus on Better Software including ai. Roper is the founder of a drone start up, in Which Schmidt is a big investor, that holds awarded a 19 Million Contract by Us Department of defence. And they recently embedded with ukrainian forces. I spoke to will roper earlier. Will, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us what examples you have seen on the battlefield in ukraine were drones have been used effectively . In drones have been used effectively . Drones have been used effectivel . , effectively . In the five units that we were effectively . In the five units that we were privileged effectively . In the five units that we were privileged to l that we were privileged to embed with they were making a huge difference on the battlefield. They were providing a level of our support we normally get from large aircraft but were doing it in micro, in miniature, where an individual soldier had a level of airpower that, in the past, would have been controlled by higher headquarters. Sol controlled by higher headquarters. So i was very impressed with what oversaw, the speed with which they were commanding and controlling things on the battlefield was more like call of duty them what you would expect being in a Traditional Military Command centre full i think there is a lot that we will have come out of ukraine that will be learned by other militaries, how to speed up the pace and cycle time on the battlefield. I want to was you time on the battlefield. I want to was you about time on the battlefield. I want to was you about the time on the battlefield. I want. To was you about the response, russias defences have been to hold when it comes to ukraines counteroffensive, can drone strikes really be effective and what is russia doing in terms of countermeasures. Eric schmidt of countermeasures. Eric schmidt and of countermeasures. Eric schmidt and i of countermeasures. Eric schmidt and i thought. Of countermeasures. E c schmidt and i thought so. We saw a lot of creative uses of hardware using off the shelf commercial drones, modifying them to be effective, but we thought that software was an area that really could give ukraine and over match capability that could be sustained. A lot of the issues that are being encountered with jamming and navigating and taking out targets that are defended, you can imagine solving those with hardware, but you can equally imagine doing it with software, bringing Artificial Intelligence and algorithms to bear to solve problems in a different way than we have done in the past. So we wrote an Op Ed Motivating that software could be the key to winning this war, algorithms could be the key to winning this war and drones are merely a plat to carry those algorithms onto the battlefield. Carry those algorithms onto the battlefield battlefield. Couldnt rush to use the same battlefield. Couldnt rush to use the same algorithms i battlefield. Couldnt rush to use the same algorithms toj use the same algorithms to riggers muchova for the ukrainians . Riggers muchova for the ukrainians . ~ , � , ukrainians . Absolutely. Any wea On Ukrainians . Absolutely. Any weapon use ukrainians . Absolutely. Any weapon use will ukrainians . Absolutely. Any weapon use will be ukrainians . Absolutely. Any weapon use will be counted| ukrainians . Absolutely. Any. Weapon use will be counted and copied. This way we emphasised in our op ed that ukraine will have to be faster and more adaptable than the russian opponent that they faced. We certainly saw creativity and agility in the units that we spent time with. It was like being with a start up, but a start up thats going to war. But when you are facing a bigger, aggressive invader you have to have some ability to keep the pace and surprising tempo of war on your side. Controlling surprise is important, controlling it with hardware would be slow and cost imposing, especially against a biggerforce. Imposing, especially against a bigger force. Thats why we landed on software and algorithms as a way to give a Service Sustainable overmuch, expect them to be counted, but by the time the counters are fielded you should be on to the next thing, repeat, repeat, repeat stop you write that while actively supporting ukraines success the world opens a new pandoras box filled with Killing Machines of a new kind. You are callin machines of a new kind. You are calling for machines of a new kind. You are calling for new machines of a new kind. You are calling for new conventions calling for new conventions were using these weapons responsibly. What would those conventions look like and how do you deal with bad actors . Certainly, when you only something that has a duration where it is autonomous and lethal there is a lot of responsibility that comes with that. We already see this in The World Today and we saw it in ukraine with landmines being a problem. They are autonomous and they are lethal. They are just very simple. We dont think of them as an advanced thing like a dream. But we can learna thing like a dream. But we can learn a lesson from the horror that landmines pose around the world and try to do better than that with drones will we can try to use software to limit the duration that they are lethal, be able to remotely cut them off and use them responsibly with people in the loop. In a world of ubiquitous networking and software being everywhere, these are problems that we could foresee solving if the world rallies around and demands a responsible use of these systems on the battlefield. So we posited a few areas where that might be the case and hope that people would pull the thread, especially those in governments that have the authority to do so. , that have the authority to do so. , , so. Really interesting conversation. So. Really interesting conversation. Thank i so. Really interesting i conversation. Thank you so. Really interesting conversation. Thank you for joining us on bbc news. It is my pleasure joining us on bbc news. It is my pleasure. Thank joining us on bbc news. It 3 my pleasure. Thank you. Scientists in switzerland say the countrys glaciers shrunk by a near record amount this summer. One way they measure this is by driving a specially marked pole deep into the glacier. And take a look at this. It almost looks like the pole is rising but thats actually the glacier melting around it. From june to august, the glacier lost 4 of its volume thats the second worst loss in history, surpasses only by a 6 decline last year. Our correspondent Imogen Foulkes has more. Scientists are taking no comfort in the fact that the melt was a bit smaller this year than last year. Taken together in those two years the glaciers have shrunk more than they did in three decades between 1960 and 1990. The glaciers are especially sensitive to climate change. After this years hot some of the researchers went up to measure the glaciers and found some of them had disappeared altogether. There was really no ice left to measure. So i asked the head of switzerlands glacier monitoring team, whether the alpine eyes could still be saved. Still be saved. Glaciers in the als still be saved. Glaciers in the alps they still be saved. Glaciers in the alps they are still be saved. Glaciers in the alps they are already still be saved. Glaciers in the alps they are already too still be saved. Glaciers in the l alps they are already too small to be saved in the way they are. We can maybe save about a third of the ice in the alps if we are lucky or if we managed to reduce Co2 Emissions to zero in 3040 to reduce Co2 Emissions to zero in 30 110 years from now, which is very ambitious but is needed to stabilise the climate to plus two degrees. It to stabilise the climate to plus two degrees. Plus two degrees. It is important plus two degrees. It is important to plus two degrees. It is important to say plus two degrees. It is | important to say macro switzerlands glaciers, all the glaciers provide more thanjust a stunning view, they often called the water towers of europe. They store the snow in winter and release it slowly during the spring and summer and that water provides water for europes rivers to water europes crops and to call Nuclear Power stations. So if those glaciers do really disappear it will have a huge impact on europes environment and on its economy. And another note from nature, a 16 year old in the uk has been arrested in connection with the felling of one of the uks most celebrated trees. The landmark at sycamore gap, beside Hadrians Wall in northumberland, was cut down overnight. The tree grew in a natural dip in the landscape and featured in the 1991 film robin hood prince of thieves, starring kevin costner. Northumbria police said the teenager had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. Officials say he is in helping with the investigation. And before we go, one of the uks most beloved actors, sir michael gambon, has died at the age of 82. Welcome, welcome to another year. He was known to millions as professor Albus Dumbledore across six harry potter films. Gambons work also included stage and tv roles over a career that spanned six decades. The dublin born actor died in hospital after a bout of pneumonia. Daniel radcliffe, who played harry potter in the films, said the brilliant, effortless actor quote loved his job but never seemed defined by it. Thank you for watching bbc news. We are back at the top of the hour. Stay with us. Hello there. After all the cloud around on thursday and the heavy overnight rain, friday looks to be dry and brighter for many of us, thanks to a ridge of High Pressure some good sunny spells around to start the day but there will be some showers developing mainly in the north and west of the uk and these will be most frequent across the north and West Of Scotland, close to this area of low pressure. A squeeze on the isobars here so another windy day to come across scotland with gales here and later went further south. There could be a Weather Front Clearing the far south east through the morning. It will do so and then there is plenty of sunshine around. Winds more of a feature further north and here is where we will see most of the showers with some of them heavy and thundery and blustery and gales up to 55 miles an hour. In the south, Showers Peppering Western coastal areas otherwise it is mainly dry. 20 degrees in the south east, not quite as warm and humid as it has been. A fresher feel to things. As we head through friday night with the slightly cooler air mass, clear skies and winds turning lighter for a while we will see mist and fog develop and it will also be a chilly night to come. Single figure values across the board, as low as three orfour degrees across rural aberdeenshire. As we head into the weekend we have High Pressure bringing fine and settled weather to start with and this next Frontal System will sweep into central western and Northern Areas through the day. So we start chilly and dry with sunshine, early mist and fog clearing, and then the sunshine will become hazy as the Frontal System moves in. But most of the rain will be across Northern Ireland and wales, Northern England pushing into southern scotland. The far north of scotland, southern South East England should stay dry with sunshine albeit hazy at times. 20 degrees and mid teens where we have wind and rain. Into sunday it looks like that front clears its way into the north sea and we will have a hang back with the Weather Front across england and wales. Sunday probably a bit cloudier for england and wales with splashes of rain through the morning. Brightening up in the afternoon and brighter sunshine, a couple of showers in the north and West Of Scotland here the mid high teens but warmer and muggier across south, up to 23 degrees. It is mixed into the new week and it will start off unsettled with settling down around the middle part of the week and we will start to see showers across Northern Areas by the end of the week and it stays fine and settled in the south. Voiceover this is bbc news. Well have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. Reporters speak spanish. It was once the murder capital of the world. Cries. For decades, rival gangs ruled the streets of el salvador through violence, extortion and fear. Until now. For a year, the countrys young, media savvy president has declared war on the gangs. Imposing Emergency Security measures and giving police sweeping powers of arrest. Thousands are now behind bars and the country is transforming before peoples eyes. But theres a dark underside hidden from view